❣ Forelsket ❣ Keigo Takami/Hawks

[Book 2] ↬ Secretary

"Do you have a name, or can I call you mine?" As that melodic tone, tarnished by the slightest hint of desperation, pierced your bubble of peace, you recoiled in both irritation and disbelief.

This was way above your pay grade, and not something you wished to burden your daily life. Alas, this man, who you were forced to concede was devilishly handsome and may have incited a tiny blush upon your cheeks, was your new boss. The fault in his over-confidence was that it led to unsavoury situations such as this, where his flirting was in no way appreciated or reciprocated. Couldn't he train himself to tone it down a little? You wondered if being under his command meant you were considered fair game - for him alone, of course. Well, you were only able to sigh on the inside. After all, you had chosen to work at this prestigious agency. The memory of why this particular profession had appealed above all else, still evaded you. In actuality, the crimson-winged menace standing before you was the reason; he had scouted you out-of-the-blue, when he caught you moonlighting as a vigilante. There wasn't a hope in Hell he was allowing you to rot away in a jail cell, and hence he had made an unexpected proposition.

He had offered you the mantle of Secretary, and, fearing the repercussions, you had accepted, cursing the heart that thundered relentlessly with each uncharacteristic quiver of his voice. It might have amused you to tease him, but despite it being a recent incident, you weren't nearly as well-versed, especially not when confronting such an ethereal...eh - such a revered Pro.

That recollection haunted you, but also willed you to snicker. The longer your silence dragged on, the harder it became to alleviate the tense atmosphere. You didn't really care - as much as it annoyed you, you were growing accustomed to his flirtations. It bothered him, though. That was obvious. Maybe you could mess with him today, just for a little while. It shouldn't be anything too serious, otherwise you would instil false hope, and you didn't wish that even on your worst enemy. Some inkling of romance was budding inside your chest, but you still figured that Hawks needed to learn his place. Or earn one by your side. You required him to put a lot more effort in, either way.

You stepped closer, warm breath caressing his ear. From the way his wings rustled, you could tell that he was pleased, but also apprehensive, as he waited for you to do something...anything!

"Hmm...but I like your last name more. Can I have it?"

He took a moment to short-circuit, before stuttering out a response. "I-If you marry me!"

You laughter seemed to rain down upon his peasant ears like a Siren's song. "Wow, lost your composure already, Hero?"

It was his turn to drown in disbelief. How had your sexiness spiralled so out of control, in mere days? If you maintained this same level, he wouldn't last - not without acquiring a sexual harassment suit. He honestly didn't want to come on to you, in the absence of explicit permission, but you were far too tempting. What if someone grabbed you before he did? He couldn't even begin to imagine not being the one to place gentle kisses upon your lips, or unmistakable marks on your neck, to show the world exactly who owned your heart. Why did you have to make things so very complicated? So very...hard? An uncomfortable, yet familiar, tightness in his lower region snapped him back into reality. His face burned crimson, like his wings, which had turned inward on account of his flush and the fluttering of his heart.

There was no comeback waiting on the tip of his tongue, no witty remark about how much you actually loved him or how amazing of a couple you would be. He had nothing. When was the last time his collected façade had been challenged this much? By a woman, no less - a vigilante, a Secretary, a...a love interest. He always listened to your heartbeat, to check for fluctuations when he talked, when his name was mentioned, but you either had exceptional control over it, or you really didn't reciprocate his feelings. The latter had to be a lie, of course, which spurred on closer inspections. Once, he heard the subtlest leap of your heart, and his felicity refused to be quelled for days on end. He adored you. Did you think he was joking with all the pick-up lines... with all the compliments?

Well, he certainly wasn't. Would you ever understand that, or even care? And...was your generally-unyielding apathy the reason he had resorted to such desperate means as hiding marriage registration forms (complete with his signature) amongst your papers?

Yes.

Yes it was.

Needless to say, you didn't take kindly to what you assumed to be a prank. After that, you wouldn't grace him with your presence for hours. It was absolute torture! He couldn't live so long without you! Why do you think he tailed you, whilst you ambled back to that too-small apartment? Oh...you didn't know? Maybe it should remain that way. Hawks had started to fantasise about uprooting you, creating a nest in his house, and just lazing around with you, whispering words of eternal love. You would find solace, cradled in his wings. You would feel protected. He could protect you, guard against all your demons, real or otherwise. Were you willing to let him devote his entire life to you, to worship your very being as divine?

Without warning, you trailed a finger up his clothed chest, tapping ever-so-lightly on the yellow diamond. "If you want to get with me, you'll have to lose that."

"The shirt?" He asked, a sliver of confidence returning, if only to impart two words.

"The symbol." Your expression held amusement - the Number Two Hero was like putty in your hands, and you relished every second.

"I don't play with government toys."

Once more, you rendered him speechless. And as you walked, he could do nothing but stare longingly at your retreating form, all willpower fading. He barely even registered your next words, he was so flustered.

You stopped, curling your fingers around the door-frame, and glancing back at him with doe-like eyes. "I'll call you when I feel like playing house."

And with a wave, you disappeared from view. Hawks' response was late, hushed and soaked in innocence.

"...You promise?"

[Word Count: 1086]