Dragging an unconscious man through the dark, back halls of the mansion was not what a tipsy Kirian wanted to be doing at that moment. As the trio stumbled down the steps at the kitchen exit, Kirian bit his lip in frustration.

This mission was the strangest one yet, and he didn’t like feeling so out of the loop. On top of not knowing why the target was being killed, he didn’t even know the man’s name. And he wasn’t allowed much information on the back half of the plan.

He knew that he had to distract the target long enough for Sebastian to shut the party down. And that in the meantime, Kirian wasn’t to hurt the target in any way. Which made no sense for an assassin.

And it didn’t explain why Sebastian had to come on the mission himself, really. Having someone help get the target out of the house was helpful, but it could have been Tobias or any of the many bodyguards at Rad Co.

No one paid them attention on the largely abandoned lawn. And the three of them moved in silence towards the car. Whatever substance Sebastian had injected into the man’s vein before they left his room had done it’s job. He was still deeply unconscious as Sebastian pulled some restraints and a large bag out of the backseat before shoving the target in.

“Help me with these,” were the first words Sebastian had said since they left the room upstairs. And even then it had only been commands on their path out and a reminder to keep his head down.

Again, Kirian shook away the frustration and helped to secure the bag around the man’s head and the straps around the man’s legs. He tested the one’s pinning the target’s arms to his torso again before strapping the seatbelt on him.

Sebastian slammed the door closed and walked to the driver side. Kirian stared after him for a beat before making his way to the front passenger seat just as Sebastian peeled out as fast as he could. Looking only at the road as they left the now quiet suburb behind.

Kirian felt like he was about to burst. He shifted in his seat again and again, never quite finding a comfortable position. He looked between Sebastian, the target and the road periodically. None looked back. Finally, he had had enough.

“What the fuck!” He exclaimed. Loud enough to momentarily startle the driving Sebastian.

Sebastian sent him a steely glance before returning his eyes to the task at hand.

“Seriously, that’s it? I need answers, now!” pressed Kirian.

Sebastian still didn’t look at him, but responded, “answers to what, assassin?”

“Don’t,” Kirian warned, “you know exactly what I’m talking about. What was this mission? Who’s the guy passed out in the backseat?”

“You don’t need to know. You did your job, that’s all you need to worry about,” responded an irate Sebastian. His whole body was tense, and his knuckles white around the steering wheel.

“Why did you even need an assassin if I wasn’t going to kill him? This does nothing for my numbers!” cried Kirian.

He had fully turned to Sebastian and was waving his hands in exasperation. “Hello?” he pushed when the other man didn’t respond.

“Consider him dead. I just have a few questions for him first,” was all Sebastian said.

Kirian threw himself back into his seat in a huff, arms crossed.

“But I like the killing,” he whined.

Sebastian snorted, finally shooting Kirian another look. Some of the rigidness of his posture melted away.

“If it’s so important to you, I’ll try to get you in for the last blow,” He said reluctantly.

Kirian perked up.

“Really?”

“You really have your dream job, don’t you?” Sebastian asked

“It has its perks. I’m sure you like being the big, bad boss of some shady company,” Kirian mused.

Sebastian sighed. “Not really,” He said simply.

Kirian looked at him in surprise. “Then why do it?” He asked.

“I don’t have much of a choice, Kirian,” Sebastian replied. He looked again at Kirian, and their eyes met.

In the very first red rays of the rising sun, Kirian couldn’t help but notice the evidence of their night on Sebastian.

His perfect curls were mussed, sweat still clung around his brow and his upper lip. It dampened the collar of his shirt. Under his caramel skin was the flush of alcohol.

“Do you want to talk about it,” Kirian offered.

Sebastian shook his head.

“No, I don’t think I should.”

Kirian didn’t miss the faraway look in the driver’s eyes. He couldn’t help but feel like it was his fault. Maybe he should have kept his mouth shut after all. He decided to change the subject.

“Hey Sebastian, “ he started.

Sebastian responded with a halfhearted hum.

“I’ve been wondering, what are we?” He asked innocently.

Sebastian’s eyes widened in surprise. “Huh?” He responded, blinking a few times.

“Like are you my boss? And am I your employee, or like a contractor?” Kirian said, holding back a smirk.

“Does it matter?” Sebastian asked. He rolled his eyes, Kirian noted, which was strange. Mr. Radashawn was usually the picture of stoic professionalism.

“Of course it does, I need to know what to put on my taxes. We haven’t even gotten to a 401K,” Kirian continued.

“Has anyone ever told you that you can be quite annoying?” Sebastian sighed.

“Has anyone ever told you that you look hot when you’re tipsy,” Kirian shot back.

He got his intended reaction.

Sebastian shot him a bewildered look. And in a poor attempt at anger, spat out a, “Watch it, assassin!”

Kirian let out a genuine laugh, relieved to have gotten rid of Sebastian’s foul attitude.

“I’m just kidding, big guy. You don’t need to call your imaginary HR on me, straight guys aren’t my type,” Kirian said.

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment before Sebastian spoke up.

“Who said I was straight?”

For once, Kirian was the shocked one. Before he could say anything, they had pulled into a parking garage where their decoy car awaited.