Goro Takemura x Reader

Twenty-Nine

Sweat covered your ice cold forehead as Takemura pulled you from your chair and into his arms. Concern raged in his eyes while he made sure that you were unharmed.

"Arasaka-sama.", it slipped off his bearded lips.

You huffed, tired but also fully aware of the situation.

"Goro.", your hand rose slowly to lay on his cheek, metal, beard hair and warm skin all mixed in your palm. "It's not... I though we had agreed on a first name basis."

You tried to make it sound playful, like a silly mistake to laugh it off, but he was too invested in your current state that he failed to act unbothered.

"You look tired.", he simply said and pushed his arm under your legs so that he was able to pick you up.

Despite his age, Goro seemed still capable and fit. At least he did not falter as your weight pulled his arms down. He pressed you to just chest, so close, that you caught a hint of his cologne.

Musky, with a hint of flowers.

Your eyes heavy yet with a smile on your lips you allowed yourself to rest a hand on his chest. The beating of his heart pressed into your palm. It wasn't calm but to you it felt like it could have been more upset.

He did not ask questions about what had happened, didn't ask about your work and instead went straight for the elevator.

A handful of other IT people and engineers flooded the room, all running around like headless chickens.

"Arasaka-sama!", one of them jumped into Takemura's way to catch you just in time. "Arasaka-sama, the system is down! What happened to Mikoshi?!"

Takemura's mouth curled and visible displeasure could be seen on his face. He was about to open his mouth as you silenced him with a pat to his chest.

"It is fine, Goro...", you needed to take a deep breath before your tongue managed to form more words. "I... Mikoshi needed a new source code. I exchanged it for something more efficient."

"It's gone!", the man argued.

Never before had you seen so much desperation on a humans face.

Was it like that to work for Arasaka if actions had consequences?

You couldn't tell. The very first time Saburo had made you sit in a netrunner chair you had grilled the neurons of your advisor by accident. The body had been taken away before you had woken up and all that your father had to say about it was that one only learned from mistakes not immediate successes.

"It will restore itself.", you let your head fall against Takemura's shoulder with a deep sigh. "Give it some time. I'll be back to finish the relic. Be prepared. We'll start tests soon."

The desperation of the man faded for a brief second. He swallowed hard, his eyes jumped between you and Takemura. Then he nodded his head and excused himself.

Your eyes jumped up to check on your protector.

He didn't know about the Mikoshi program. Save your soul, that was what it would be called like on the market. The rich would be immortal, quite literally, by dodging their old bodies and exchanging it for a better one.

Most likely the one of their offspring since those offered a pretty solid DNA compatibility.

Yorinobu was only supposed to be the first try.

And Saburo had ordered you to never talk to anyone about it unless he did it first. It seemed rather unlikely to you that he'd let his bodyguard in on the fact that he'd soon be a younger man.

It could have made Takemura less careful since death wasn't meaningful no more.

You decided to keep it to yourself. Just to keep him in the dark a little longer. It played into Saburo's plan but also allowed you to feel a little more safe.

After all, it was more than unlikely that Takemura would agree with you over his decade long master.

"Ta...", you sucked in a sharp breath, your fingers entangled in his black shirt. "Takemura... please. Take me to my brother."

His body stiffened below you as your request reached his ears. Takemura didn't agree with Yorinobu, perhaps he didn't even like him. But even he had to admit that, in your current state, it was better to leave you in his care.

Of Takemura had to agree with one thing it was that Yorinobu cared for his family. Not his father, but always his siblings. And before her passing, his mother as well.

"Very well.", he assured you with a nod and entered the elevator.

Your eyes watched as the light source of the lab turned from a cold white to alarming red. A sound filled the underground, not quite like an alarm but enough to make people listen.

"What is happening?", he mumbled to himself.

The doors fell shut in front of his face.

Good thing that he missed the expression on your sweat covered face. A smug smirk with a hint of ignorance. This felt like a victory.

Slowly, you managed to open your other hand a crack wide to have a look at a small metal object.

The relic. Or at least what was needed to get it to completion. The safe your soul program was a very sensitive kind of new technology. One missing peace meant that it was useless.

You had known that for many months but had failed to get your hands on one of the pieces. Everything that was taken was documented.

But now things were processed enough to justify why it wasn't where it was supposed to be.

You could just tell everyone it was for test purposes.

Satisfied with what the day had turned out to, you wrapped your fingers around the small object again and nestelnd up against Takemura's strong chest again.

His even breath echoed inside your ears. It felt like his life filled you with a new kind of calmness.

Had he always been this kind of man?

Dedicated and professional?

You didn't know why but his embrace made you feel safe. Quickly, you fell into a slumber, both caused by exhaustion and the relief of your success.

Soon your plan would be in a mature state and you wouldn't have to worry no more.