Tokyo Bay Riders

24

It was a sunny morning when Chester called Adonis with the unexpected news.

A meeting. A meeting with himself, Winnie and Aukai.

Chester and Winnie never called both Aukai and Adonis for such joint occasions- ever.

Adonis was still convincing himself that Chester was lying until the moment he stepped into Winnie's office. Aukai was there, on his laptop typing away too quickly for Adonis to comprehend. His old friend looked up, still typing with ridiculous speed, returning to his work almost immediately. Adonis held back his smile, seeing just from Aukai in the room now how similar they both were, they'd both got traits from one another despite not being blood related.

Even so, they'd been apart for so long they couldn't even form a normal conversation in a room together- and that was after almost being killed together only a week ago when they first faced Hogan the Warrior. In that week Adonis hadn't seen Aukai, burying himself in work and only getting back from Sendai last night didn't help. Was he imagining this? It wouldn't surprise him- he was borderline delirious from the lack of sleep anyway.

"I've been tracking Hogan since Kyoto. Most my leads are dead ends and Akira's out of action for the foreseeable" Adonis didn't respond as Aukai broke the silence, the keys to his laptop still clicking under fingers.

Yep, this was definitely real.

"I have a feeling the higher ups have already been searching themselves. Their connections are on another scale compared to mine and Akira's" Aukai continued to speak, Adonis not responding again. The captain of Eclipse instead decided to take a seat on the opposite side of the table to Aukai, staring at him.

"Are you going to ignore me all morning?" Aukai could still read the younger like a book. Adonis surprisingly clicked his tongue, not that Aukai paid any mind.

"I don't know what to say Aukai. I don't know what you want from me" Adonis' head was already hurting from the thought of this god forsaken meeting, let alone being questioned by Aukai of all people.

"What do you mean?" The older retorted, his laptop screen being slightly shut as he now averted his gaze and looked the younger dead in the eyes.

"We've ignored each other for two years, then we have to fight together. But there's more- you win the fight, but you give the fight up and declare it as my victory. Why? What was the reason? Why now after all this time-"

"For you" Adonis felt his jaw metaphorically hit the floor.

"Excuse me?" The younger didn't know if he'd actually spoken out loud, that was until Aukai started his response that Adonis knew he hadn't.

"I did it for you, Adonis. After the accident I knew you needed space, as did I" the older left out a disheveled sigh, before he shifted his weight where he sat to face Adonis clearly.

"I've kept my distance for two years, established my group, but I can't keep on like we don't know each other. We have a pact after all- if you go down or I go down- the other steps down as well. Adonis I will look after and protect you for as long as I live."

Adonis didn't know where to begin after that.

"I don't expect you to say anything. I just wanted you to know" Aukai added, only leaving Adonis even more gobsmacked.

"Ah, you're both here"

Adonis didn't have a chance to answer Aukai's shocker of a revelation, another torment on his mind as Winnie and Chester came waltzing in at impeccable timing.

"Right, I won't beat around the bush" Winnie was quick to the desk, dropping her laptop down and pulling up a strategy plan in seconds. Chester didn't say much as he headed over to Adonis.