Goro Takemura x Reader

Fifty

Did he always look this old?

Perhaps, perhaps not. Most days you hadn't seen him anyways and if you had, he always looked down on you instead of in your face.

Saburo Arasaka was old. There was no way arguing about that, it was a fact.

But how as you sat across from him, legs crossed and both hands rested on the surface of a wooden table, you thought that he didn't just look old.

He looked ancient.

If he would have been a tech device he'd be metal scraps by now. Humans tended to get rid of things they didn't seem efficient or modern anymore.

But Saburo?

No, he was too rich to get rid of. And now he even had an opportunity to never die either.

At the thought, your grip tightened around the bio chip that you kept covered by your palm. He knew that you had it and he also knew that you had come to bargain with him.

It was only a matter of the price. And this little thing was worth a whole lot. Not just for him.

"You look tired, kodomo.", even his voice didn't seem to be from this century.

As he spoke, he was calm and well put together although it was audible that his tongue started to her heavier by the day.

His milky eyes moved behind toned glasses. There was no expression on his face, but you believed to sense a certain kind of displeasure.

"I didn't sleep well the last weeks.", you turned your eyes away to escape a possible judgemental look. "But last night I was satisfied."

A low sound came from him. You took that as a sign of approval. It probably wouldn't last any longer since he had come here to demand what he deemed rightfully his.

And you wanted to take something from him. Or rather, as him to hand it down to you.

"The relic. You had a great duty to fulfil.", he agreed, something that wasn't common for him.

With a gesture, you turned your hand and opened the fingers so that he could have a look at the small chip in your palm.

"It should work.", you locked eyes with him. "It's stabilised and I made sure to alter the engram just how you wanted to."

"He'll surrender?"

"I don't think so.", you sighed. "But he won't have a choice. As soon as it's inserted, the engram will be copied into his brain. Removing it would kill him."

"How long will it take?", his face still didn't move.

"A day. Maybe two. But you'll be able to keep him in cheek.", you put the relic down on the table but made sure to keep two fingers on it. "I want to propose a new payment."

Now he finally showed some sort of humanity. His eyebrows rose and for a brief moment his eyes moved over your face.

A glimpse of confusion could be seen before he took a deep breath and everything was gone again.

"You will be send back to Japan.", he said with these old, Japanese words that nobody used no more these days. "I stay true to my words. Always."

"I know. But..."

"Hm?", his eyes narrowed. "You don't want to go back?"

"Yes I do!", it immediately slipped from your tongue in a panic. "But... I want more."

Now there was disapproval visible in his good eye. You doubted that he actually had a good eye, considering that he was already older than a person was supposed to be. But the other was complexly white already so it was not possible that he'd be able to see through it still.

"Greed is a filthy characteristic.", it was a warning, nicely packaged in a box that was disguised as a teaching or some words of advise.

Obviously, that was how he worked. He didn't have nice words or compliments. Just threats and bargains.

And all of the time he got the longer end of the stick.

His eyes moved to the relic. This was the first time he ever showed something similar to impatience.

"I'm not greedy.", you placed your hand on the piece of metal once more to hide it from his sight. "I just think my work is worth a little compensation."

"You will return to Japan."

"That's not even a reward!", you couldn't help but hiss at him. "You made me come here even though I never wanted to. You tricked me and then I couldn't go back."

"Your duties were here.", he was as dismissive as ever.

Had you always hated him this much?

Or was it just the realisation over the past few weeks that made you want to spit in his face?

You took a deep breath to regain composure.

"I fulfilled my duties. You know that.", again, you showed him the relic. "Going back to Japan is the bare minimum you owe me."

His lips curled. It wasn't often that his face moved and if it did it didn't seem to be a human emotion or a habit that the living often portrayed on the outside.

It was just weird.

"What is it that you want?", his voice was so calm it almost felt like a threat.

It took you aback. You had to swallow before your tongue was able to form an answer.

"I want you to leave Takemura in my care.", you said.

Ah, finally there was something visible on his face.

Surprise.

"Why?", he frowned.

Now you had him where you wanted.

"He doesn't know about your plans. Do you think he'd agree with them? Probably not. He'd get careless and neglect his duties once he knows your immortal now."

The sound of approval escaped him again. He must have had the same thought process before.

"And now you want him?", he asked, suspicious but not entirely against the idea yet.

"Hai.", you bowed your head in a respective manner.

It was better to please him now.

"What for?", his hand moved towards the relic.

You pulled your hand away to allow him to touch it.

"I want to marry him.", you didn't expect Saburo to understand.

But you expected him to take it as a good enough reason. For a brief second his hand froze, hoovering over the small metal chip that would make him immortal.

"Hm.", he placed his hand over the relic before his old gaze fell upon you. "If that is what you demand. Take him with you."