Work Text:
It had been a quiet evening.
For all intents and purposes Reever should have been immediately suspicious, because the Head Officer was only ever quiet when he was planning something, but in this case "quiet" meant he had actually managed to finish the chemistry report he had been compiling for weeks, so maybe it was just that. Pleasant. Peaceful.
Reever stood and stretched, working the kinks out of his back. He closed his notebook and shifted his work papers to the outer edges of his desk, where they joined the wall of research notes that had crept up and boxed him in one day, the immaculate surface it had been when they first moved to the new Headquarters lost forever.
It had been awhile since he had slept in his own bed instead of on a pile of books but he wasn’t about to stick around and wait for things to get worse.
He stuck the draft outline of his report into his pocket and turned, bidding his subordinates a good night as he marched down the corridor towards the large double doors. He was looking forward to a long soak in the baths.
Which was why he nearly jumped clean out of his own skin when he yanked open the door by its handle and almost ran into Branch Director Bak Chang, who was carrying a heavy set of files under his arm and looked like he had run all the way from the Ark Chamber to get here.
They stared at each other.
Then Bak moved the hand that had meant to pull the door open before Reever got there first and fisted it in the other man’s lab coat instead. He looked grave.
"I need your help," he said darkly.
Reever cast his eyes heavenwards and fought back the urge to sigh. So much for his quiet evening.
"They’ve got a what…?" Komui asked dubiously, the pen he had been twirling between his fingers dropping and rolling across his desk as he leaned forward to squint at the large envelope Assistant Chief Faye had placed in front of him.
The top had already been sliced open, and while part of Reever chafed at the idea that Central was going through their mail now, like Allen or Johnny or god knows who else was going to write to them and disclose their location, the number of letters the Chief had misplaced or forgot to read entirely had decreased dramatically ever since the practice had started and he found it a lot harder to be mad about that.
"A new talisman model," Bridget replied crisply, standing to one side of the desk as Komui lifted the contents, a large sheaf of papers behind said letter, and started skimming the pages. Reever had no doubt that she had already gone and read through the entire thing herself before even passing it to Komui.
"I didn't authorise any new research projects into talismans," Komui said slowly, his expression still puckered in confusion but nonetheless impressed as he looked back up at Reever as though hoping he would shed some light on this matter.
"The research notes came in this morning from the Asian Branch sir," he offered, and watched as Komui's eyes lit up in unspoken understanding and he started perusing the work with more interest than he had started out with.
"Director Bak does like to stay abreast of technological advancements, as you well know."
"Increased durability while using half the power," Komui muttered to himself as he continued flipping through the notes. "Longer lasting effects in the field ... rechargeable battery packs ... but this is amazing!"
He looked between them, eyes glittering at the idea of going down to the labs and playing around with this new invention in lieu of doing more paperwork. "Where is it?"
"China," Bridget said briskly, turning a page in her day planner without glancing up. Komui's face fell. Reever gave him a helpless shrug.
"China?" Komui protested, frowning now as though they'd been leading him on this entire time. "Why not just bring it through the Ark?"
"The Director felt it would be safer to keep the talisman in the Asian Branch for now," Reever put in. "Given they're still not sure how the product will react when ... well, it enters a room that defies the space/time continuum as it is."
"The old talismans pass through the Ark just fine," Komui grumped, running his hand back through his hair as the excitement left him almost as quickly as it had arrived. He lifted the research notes and the letter and started rearranging them.
"Well I suppose it can't be helped. We can always ask Bak-chan to send us some photographs or a video feed if need be ... hm?"
He paused, halfway through adding the notes to an already precarious-looking pile of documents sitting in the corner of his desk, when he noticed a flash of gold sticking out between the pages.
Komui dove for it like a magpie, ignoring Bridget's impassioned tutting as the pile of documents teetered and then gave way, scattering onto the already messy floor. Reever moved to shift himself to the other end of the couch he had been sitting on so she would not blame him at least for any footprints that appeared on important, official records.
"What's this?" Komui demanded, holding the square of heavy, expensive cardstock between his hands and looking at the gold leaf like he had just found a fortune lying on the ground.
"An invitation sir," Bridget replied, choosing not to comment on this sudden manic shift in behaviour. "From the Director of the Asian Branch. Which you would have known about had you read the cover letter attached to those research notes - "
But Reever could tell from the expression on Komui's face that he wasn't listening to her. He was tearing open the invitation, which unlike the envelope had been carefully steamed open and then resealed when it had become abundantly clear it did not contain a ticking timebomb.
Komui pulled an equally expensive looking card from its confines and then hunched over it delightedly, looking for all the world like a teenager who had just received a secret love letter from his crush.
Reever sat up a little straighter to see, raising his eyebrows at the flowing calligraphic script. Director Bak's writing looked like a hastily scrawled doctor’s script on a good day so he guessed that he must have dictated the contents of the invitation for someone else to pen out on his behalf.
He watched as a wave of emotions passed over Komui's face, going from overjoyed, to frowning like he had just missed the punchline of a joke, to flipping the invitation around multiple times as though there might have been an extra page that had fallen out somewhere.
Then he stopped and sat back heavily in his chair, his eyebrows furrowed together. "But this is ..."
"An excellent idea," Bridget said firmly. "Since the work cannot be brought to Headquarters at this point in time the Director has agreed that the Asian Branch will host you for a couple of days so you may visit and look into the research and development that went into this project instead."
Komui looked dumbstruck. Clearly this was not the kind of invitation he had been expecting. Reever got out of his seat to give it a proper look.
It was very formal and diplomatic, without a hint of affection to the wording. And then under the spiel about how this visit would foster a better future relationship between HQ and the other Branch Offices there was another, much smaller set of times and dates.
"The Asian Branch will be having a small celebration for the Mid-Autumn Festival this year," Bridget was saying, and Reever realised what that little extra addition at the end of the invitation meant. "Director Bak has halved his staff's workload for the day so they may attend, meaning the labs will be free for you to browse."
Her expression hadn't changed, and while Reever could clearly see she thought very little of Bak for letting his subordinates have so much as a tea break, it seemed that the Changs letting Komui (and by extension Central) visit when Bak had been incredibly ornery about them even setting foot in China in the past was too good of an opportunity to pass up.
Komui was definitely looking sulky now, his frown pulling down the corners of his mouth.
Reever had never seen him celebrate mid-autumn outside of having a small private dinner with Lenalee if she happened to be home from a mission that year, but there were times he would talk wistfully of lanterns and mooncakes and spin tall tales about rabbits stirring up incredible potions in such a way that Reever knew the celebration was important to him. It was like the one piece of his old life he still clung to.
He half-expected Komui to open his mouth and give some airy excuse about having so much work to do here and then make a run for it the moment Bridget's back was turned, but instead he was drumming his fingers on his desk, clearly weighing up the pros and cons of this visit.
"... and if I decline this invitation?" he hedged, glancing at Bridget out of the corner of his eye to gauge her reaction.
She looked back at him, stone-faced. "Impossible," she said flatly, opening her day planner and pointing at Komui's timetable with her pen. "I've already accepted on your behalf."
"Of course you did," Komui replied, his smile knife-sharp for a split second before he sighed, slouching in his chair and rubbing at his temple with his fingertips.
"Will I at least be able to look at the festival?" he demanded, "From a distance perhaps, if it's not too much trouble."
"The Director has invited you to dinner," Bridget told him, ignoring his sarcastic tone, the slight shift of her shoulders indicating she was relieved that he hadn't thrown down a smoke bomb and slithered out the door, just like Reever had expected.
"So yes, you will no doubt see some of the festival in full swing if all goes well."
If he behaved himself and let Bak get through the agenda for the day is what she does not say, but Komui seemed satisfied enough with that answer to Reever's eye.
"Then I'll go," Komui replied, straightening himself up with great effort and putting the invitation back into its card. He gave it a long look, like by existing it had somehow betrayed him, and then put it into the top drawer of his desk, out of sight.
"Very good sir," Bridget said, her heels clicking on the floor as she rounded his desk and towards the door.
"I took the liberty of telling the Director you accepted this morning but I will liaise with his household and confirm the meeting. You're expected at 7pm tomorrow, Shanghai time. Don't be late."
She shut the door behind her with a firm snap. Komui stared after her.
"That woman is terrifying."
"Terrifyingly good at making sure you do your job," Reever retorted, throwing himself back down on the couch and exhaling as all the tension left the room.
Komui leaned forward on his elbows and gave him his most pleading look.
"Would you perhaps be interested in holidaying in China, Section Chief Reever?"
Reever snorted aloud at that. "Nice try, Curly." He lifted his head up and gave Komui an appraising look. "Come on, don't look so glum. I thought you'd be jumping at the chance to see the Director. You haven't left Headquarters since the move."
"Of course I want to see him!" Komui exclaimed, throwing his hands up, "but not like this! He's going to be so proper and business-like and he'll definitely yell if I try to put my hands on his ..."
"I never asked!" Reever said loudly, cutting him off.
Komui withdrew, dropping his head down on his arms. "It's going to be boring," came his voice, muffled in his sleeves. "Not the actual talisman of course, but all the meetings that I'm going to have to sit through before I even get to see it."
Yes, Reever thought, thinking with some degree of joy about all the work the Department would manage to get done in the Chief's absence. He tried to school his expression into a much more sympathetic one.
"Well you never know," he said lightly, "If you're lucky the Director might decide he wants a half-day to go see the festival as well."
Komui groaned. "Have you met Bak-chan?" he demanded.
"Fair point," Reever conceded, scratching at his chin. "It's a wonder he's marrying you at all given how much he loves his work. Maybe just sit on your hands and try not to tip the scales in work's favour."
Komui threw his pen at him.
"You could have at least worn shoes," Lenalee scolded as they stepped out of the shower of light that bathed the Ark and set foot in the Asian Branch, the contingent of soldiers that had accompanied Komui parting around him and heading straight for the guards on duty to announce their arrival.
Komui straightened his uniform jacket. Dimension-hopping had always made a weird little tingle pass through his entire body like pins and needles. His nose itched. Lenalee didn't seem bothered though and Bak was forever passing through the Ark gates between the Asian Branch and HQ so maybe it was just something you had to get used to.
"If I'm going to be in meetings all night I want to be comfortable," he told his sister in his most long-suffering voice, wiping his glasses off on a corner of his sleeve. It had been coincidence that Lenalee had a mission in Guangzhou this week, but Komui could not pretend he wasn't glad for her company. The alternative would have meant being shadowed by a pair of CROWs the whole time he was in China, where they would have no doubt put Bak in a sour mood from the get-go.
Judging from the smile on her face Lenalee was delighted with this arrangement too and Komui's heart swelled when they descended the stairs and she cooed at the sight before them.
The Asian Branch had been transformed for the festival. Instead of the subdued murmurings of people slaving over their research they were surrounded by a bright glowing chatter that dredged up memories of a night market to Komui. There were red and gold trappings all over the walls, warm lanterns hanging overhead and in people's arms as they bustled back and forth, laughing and delighting in each other's company.
He dared another glance at his sister, whose eyes were round with wonder. Lenalee had been far too young to remember their parents let alone the harvest festivals they had spent together as a family, but Komui wasn't. This was so much grander than the village celebrations he had been to as a young teenager but nostalgia still settled like a weight in his chest, hot and tight.
The idea of being ushered into a plain, spartan meeting room after this suddenly chafed at him.
"This is the worst," he muttered, and hadn't even realized he'd said it aloud until Lenalee elbowed him sharply in the ribs, looking thunderous.
"Brother!" she hissed. "Don't be mean. This - This is wonderful so don't go teasing Mr Bak when ..."
She suddenly trailed off, her fingers curling around his elbow.
Bak rounded the corner, trailed by Wong and a harried looking group of people Komui assumed were members of the Asian Branch's Logistics Department, who no doubt had put this entire festival together and were trying their best to keep both it and the Branch running smoothly at the same time. Bak's little group of interns were bringing up the rear like ducklings. They seemed happy just to have been invited.
Lenalee tugged on his arm, trying to bring him down low enough so she could speak into his ear.
"Smile!" she said urgently, because Komui had been in a sulk the whole way here like some kind of mid-autumn festival scrooge and he only had himself to blame for her anxiousness, but in this case at least he felt she needn't have worried.
He had half-expected Bak to have come out to greet them in his Order uniform but he was dressed up in fiery festival red, a black sash tied off jauntily at his hip. In fact, now that Komui looked around he realised that only he, Lenalee and the guards were still in uniform, like little black and white spots standing out in a vast sea of colour.
Bak looked like a noble clansman preparing for a grand party, directing Logistics staff this way and that as they clustered around him, asking for his signature or his opinion and then dispersing almost as quickly as they came when he gave them what they asked for. It was like seeing a burning red and gold star up close and getting sucked into its gravitational pull.
Komui suddenly, desperately wanted to kiss him. He could only imagine what his face looked like, but given the fact Lenalee was now fisting her hands in his uniform like she was two steps away from just hurling him straight into Bak's path, he knew he must have looked ridiculously smitten.
Bak looked up, meeting his gaze, and Komui felt his knees turn to water.
"You're actually on time," Bak said then, by way of greeting, and Komui could only nod, suddenly worried about the hysterical noises that would escape from him if he opened his mouth.
Bak handed off his clipboard and paperwork to one of the Logistics staff when Wong suddenly appeared in front of Komui's vision, obstructing his view.
"Lord and Lady Lee," Wong said, his voice a solemn boom over the background chatter as he seized Komui's hand and shook it. "You honour us with your presence on this auspicious occasion. Master Bak is delighted that you have accepted his invitation."
"Happy to be here," Komui said absently, trying and failing to look around Wong's bulk. The man was much broader than he was. He could only see the top of Bak's head. "Wouldn't have missed it for the world. Fostering good relationships between HQ and the Branch Offices and all that stuff."
"Ah, so you did read the invitation."
Bak came up around the side, putting his hand on Wong's shoulder firmly. His elderly retainer retreated with a bow, taking over handling of the Logistics staff in Bak's place. Komui could have wept at the sight of him.
"Loved it," he blustered, his mouth getting ahead of his brain because Bak's eyelashes were like gold in the lantern light and he couldn’t look away for the life of him. "It was a masterpiece of literature. Your handwriting has improved exponentially."
Bak raised his eyebrows and fixed Komui with a look of exasperated fondness that was gone almost as quickly as it came.
He offered Komui his hand, and for one wild minute Komui almost lifted it up and pressed Bak's knuckles to his mouth, but then he remembered he was here on business and shook it properly instead. It was probably the least enthusiastic handshake he had ever given in recent memory, but Bak didn't seem to hold it against him.
He inclined his head. “Come along then,” he said to Komui. “There's a lot to do before the end of the night.”
Komui's shoulders sagged. He'd been afraid of that. He looked around at Lenalee beseechingly, but she just gave him a gentle shove in the back.
“Have fun,” she told him bracingly, and wasn't that a terrible thing to say Komui thought as Bak said something to Wong and turned on his heel, expecting Komui to follow.
“Oh Miss Rohfa, you look lovely!” He heard his sister say then, and whirled around to where Lenalee had approached Bak's interns, holding a bespectacled girl’s hands between her own and smiling brilliantly.
The girl flushed scarlet, matching the peonies in her thick, dark hair and Komui almost marched straight back towards them when Bak's voice rang out, echoing sharp and clear around the complex.
“Komui!”
Komui moved reluctantly, trying to express his concern through his eyes but Bak just frowned, clearly not bothered in the least, and herded him along.
“Stop dragging your feet,” Bak told him, looking over his shoulder at Komui, who could easily have matched him stride for stride but was walking a few steps behind instead, looking up as they passed through another richly decorated hall, the crowds parting to let them pass.
He was completely focused, Komui thought. Bak barely spared any of his subordinates a glance as they marched through and all their well wishes for the festival rolled off onto Komui instead.
They kept walking, and eventually the bright lanterns and colourful trappings shone less and less until they reached another wing of the Asian Branch. This part remained wholly undecorated, and any other time Komui would have looked around and described it as normal, but after walking through the festivities everything else seemed cold and dull.
Bak finally stopped at the end of the corridor, his hand on the brass handle of an unremarkable black wood door.
Right, Komui thought tiredly. Meeting first. He wondered which of Bak's scientists would be sitting inside, ready to sell him this incredible feat of engineering and explain everything it could do in the field.
Bak popped the door open a crack. “Get in.” He looked serious.
Komui gave him his best professional smile and went through first, expecting to be greeted by an entire board of senior staff members from the Asian Branch’s Science Department.
There was no one there.
Komui moved to ask Bak if they were early or had wandered into the wrong meeting room by mistake but when he turned around he saw Bak had followed him in and shut the door behind them, the wedge of light from the corridor's lamps fading away and throwing them into darkness.
And then Bak's hands were sliding up his chest and over his shoulders as he pressed his whole body against Komui's and kissed him full on the mouth, sending any and all fleeting questions forming in his mind out the window.
Komui surged forward, cupping Bak's face in his hands to bring him closer and for a moment they just held position, time frozen around them. Bak's silk finery smelled like the sweet osmanthus flowers that always bloomed at this time of the year and Komui was suddenly, wildly homesick. He squeezed and hoped he didn't crease Bak's clothes too badly in his fists.
Bak pulled out of the kiss first, much to Komui's dismay, tucking one of Komui's bangs behind his ear like he usually did when he was feeling particularly fond. His expression was indiscernible in the dark but Komui leaned in anyway to kiss his forehead.
"I missed you," he said against Bak's hair, and only held on tighter when comforting fingers stroked down his spine. "Please tell me we're here to have a little fun and the meeting isn't for another hour."
Bak snorted at that, the sound muffled against Komui's chest. He lifted his head.
"I could," he said, much too carefully for Komui's liking, "but that would be lying."
Komui groaned again, bending uncomfortably so he could mash his face against Bak's shoulder. "But Bak-chan ..."
Bak gave him a little push. "Stop that," he told Komui sternly. "Don't be dramatic. Haven't you figured it out yet? There is no meeting."
And then he was gone, leaving Komui's arms empty and his mind somewhat sure that the shock of being so bereft had left him temporarily deaf because all he managed to say to that was, "Eh?"
There was a 'click' as a switch was flipped, flooding the room with light. Bak stood next to it, his arms folded and a look of smugness on his face that Komui couldn't comprehend.
"There is no meeting," Bak said again, still looking infuriatingly pleased with himself. He gave a great shrug. "I made the whole thing up."
Komui was sure if his eyebrows went any higher his glasses would slip off his nose entirely.
"But ... you..."
"To be fair," Bak admitted, tapping his fingers thoughtfully against his bicep, "Reever helped. Your sister pitched in too. It was a bit touch-and-go there with the invitation, we weren't sure Central would take the bait, but I guess Assistant Chief Faye needs a vacation as much as you do."
"But you're a terrible liar!" Komui finally burst out, causing the smile on Bak's face to drop into a scowl.
"You can always go back to Headquarters you know," he told Komui flatly.
Komui raked his hand back through his hair, thinking hard. "I mean you're really terrible," he muttered, "You start babbling and your ears go red and sometimes you concoct weird little potions when you don't get your way ..."
"Well maybe I wouldn't have had to create an entire narrative just to spend time with you if a certain someone didn't always run away from his work and got a global Branch-wide travel ban slapped on his ass," Bak hissed through gritted teeth, marching on Komui and poking him sharply in the chest with his finger.
Komui gave him an affronted look, dropping his hands from his face. His hair was sticking up in awkwardly tugged curls.
"I have not been banned from travelling, I simply ... wait." He paused and looked at Bak curiously. "You did all this just to spend time with me?"
Bak's face went crimson, his posture suddenly going rigid.
"I ... just think that as Head Officer you should be doing more to attend events outside of HQ," he said after a long minute, turning his nose up. "Especially now that time isn't really a problem anymore what with the Ark in place, so ..."
He broke off, jumping when Komui cupped the side of his head.
"Your ears are burning," he murmured, his voice so soft and reverent that it only made Bak turn a darker shade of red. "Didn't I say...?"
Bak swatted him away. "All right yes, fine. I lied because I wanted to spend the festival with you!" he snapped, throwing his hands up in defeat. "I think I'm entitled to that, given it's our first year as ... our first year ..."
"Engaged," Komui supplied helpfully, thumbing the ring on Bak's right hand and lifting it up to his lips to kiss like he had been longing to do earlier.
"I know what we are!" Bak exclaimed, a little higher-pitched than normal, but he graciously let Komui tuck him under his chin and hold him, even if he was muttering darkly about ungrateful fiances the entire time.
"So," Komui said, drawing the word out slowly as Bak started to unwind and stopped feeling like a granite statue in his arms, "does this mean there's no experimental talisman design I need to check out either?"
"Of course there's a talisman," Bak replied a little testily, and then even more quietly, "but I thought that maybe we could save all that lab work for tomorrow."
"No meetings?" Komui asked again, sounding hopeful. Bak rolled his eyes and pinched his side gently.
"No meetings," he confirmed, and drew himself up on his toes to kiss Komui's jawline.
"I love you," Komui exhaled, managing to sound both relieved and adoring all at once. He turned his head and kissed Bak again. "Can we please go back to the festival now?"
He felt Bak's hand splay out against his breastbone, his palm pressing against Komui's own engagement ring, which he wore under his shirt on a chain when he was unsure who he was going to have to work with. It was a little piece of his heart, and Bak closed his fingers around it.
"In a minute," he told Komui, and when he glanced up the gleam in his eyes was positively wicked.
"First let's get you out of that uniform."
There was a dragon.
Not a pale imitation made out of colourful paper-mache and bamboo sticks but an honest-to-god dragon, with glittering scales whose colours shifted as it lashed through the air to the thunderous sound of cymbals and incense smoke as a group of equally colourful dancers moved the earth beneath its feet.
Komui shifted in his seat. As clan head Bak had his own private box from which to watch performances take place in the great cavern they had set aside for the festivities, though he hadn't expected that meant being more or less on eye level with a giant mythical beast.
Pillars of stone rose up and around the dragon, who roared and snaked through them like a river running through the mountains, telling a story that Komui didn't quite grasp but which made the crowd cheer with wild abandon regardless. The dancers all had Chang clan tattoos, glittering like iridescent beetle shells as they spun around the dragon with staves and prop poles. Komui noted that none of them looked older than Bak.
The air crackled with magic, raising the hairs on his skin as it swept over him. Komui scratched at his arm through his silk sleeve. He couldn't say that he outright hated the stuff, mostly because it would be tantamount to spitting in the eye of Bak's entire family legacy, but there was an unpredictability and uncertainty to sorcery that just didn't sit well with him, no matter how Bak insisted it was just another branch of science. In some ways it was similar to Innocence, and he didn't need any more of that in his life.
Lenalee laid her hand on top of his, stilling his fingers from picking at his outfit. "You'll ruin it," she mouthed, because the only other option was to shout over the clashing cymbals and she clearly didn't want to give Bak the impression they weren't enjoying the show.
Like Komui, her festival robes were also a rich blue, courtesy of the Chang family seamstresses, but where Komui's had embroidered birds stitched into the sleeves and breast, hers had been decorated with seasonal flowers. Komui had never worn such elaborate clothing in his entire life; not even the Head Officer's uniform was made of silk so fine it felt like water against his skin.
Bak, who was seated on Komui's left, chose this moment to lean in, touching Komui's ring as he clasped his hand. He had slid it off its chain back at the meeting room and placed it back on Komui's finger with such carefulness that Komui had blushed ridiculously red himself and Bak had to drag him out of the room by the collar of his robe to get him to leave.
"I realise this probably isn't what you're used to as far as festival openings go," Bak whispered, like he was letting Komui in on some embarrassing secret, "but she wanted to be a dragon and my great-grandfather was only too happy to indulge her."
Ah, Komui thought. So the Chang family wasn't keeping a live dragon locked up in the lower caverns during the rest of the year. Good to know. He peered over the balcony into the hall below. Lanterns lit up the darkness like stars wherever he looked.
"It's your family's tradition, I get it," Komui said amicably as the dragon shot past their booth and up towards the ceiling, fireworks chasing its tail and painting the cave walls in jewel-bright bursts of colour. Lenalee let out a whoop, her fingers pressed over her mouth in delight. Komui's heart swelled.
He turned his head and nosed Bak's cheek. "Though I have a feeling that you liking dragons also had something to do with it."
"Who doesn't like dragons?" Bak retorted, as the dragon perched on the centremost stone pillar and transformed back into Fou, who inclined her head to thunderous applause.
"Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!" the gate guardian shouted, leaping into the air as the earth beneath her feet crumbled and melded back into the floors and walls. She landed neatly on the shoulders of two of the dancers. The troupe bowed.
"Pretty talented kids in your extended family," Komui teased, propping his chin in his hand and waggling his eyebrows. "Why don't you ever dance like that, Bak-chan?"
"What are you talking about?" Bak demanded, giving him an odd look. "Every child in the Chang family has to participate in the festival at least once before they come of age. I did my dragon dance years ago when I was seventeen."
Then he patted Komui's hand and kissed his shell-shocked face before getting to his feet to address the crowd so Fou would stop shouting "Speech! Speech!"
Komui turned to look at his sister. Lenalee stared back at him impassively, holding her breath.
"I ask you," Komui suddenly burst out, just shy of outraged, "Is it fair that a good man such as myself continues to suffer because - "
"Oh, Brother."
"I'm not doing it."
Komui made a show of pouting at that. "Come on Bak-chan," he wheedled. "Just one for luck?"
Bak made a face as Komui waved the dice he was holding under his nose. "I won't," he said again, because there were so many eyes watching them, round with anticipation. His cheeks were pink. "It's embarrassing."
"Fine, I'll go first," Komui said with a put-upon sigh, and then blew on the dice he was holding. He held his hand out to Bak again, expression hopeful.
"Come on, darling. One last hurrah. It'll be a team effort!"
"Oh my god," Bak muttered and then, glaring daggers all around, he cupped Komui's fist between his hands and leaned over it with lips puckered. He blew on the dice. "There."
Komui grinned from ear to ear and approached the stall owner, onlookers crowding around to see as he threw the dice down into the red lacquer bowl on the counter.
Bak sucked in a breath as the little stone cubes clattered against the sides, spinning to a standstill. Two thirds of the six dice had landed on the number four.
"Zhuang Yuan!" a bystander shouted, and just like that the crowd erupted into cheers, jostling Komui while the stall owner boggled, slack-jawed.
Bak had pointed out the market stalls in a fit of pique to stop Komui marching off after his sister when Lenalee had announced she was going to spend some time with Bak's interns after Fou's performance, but he was starting to think his clever idea had gone over too well.
He was weighed down by Komui's winnings, holding a bird-shaped lantern in one hand and a large, stuffed rabbit in the crook of his arm. The rabbit had been won during a game of riddles that Komui had taken far too much delight in. It was soft and white with pearl-grey buttons for eyes and silver stars stitched on its hindquarters, no doubt to represent the mythical jade rabbit who made the elixir of life on the moon, but Komui had shoved it at Bak and declared "It looks just like you Bak-chan!" and he had been carrying it around in mortified silence ever since.
"I think I'm just lucky tonight," Komui said, magnanimously handing Bak the box of mooncakes in exchange for the bird lantern. He tucked his arm through Bak's, holding on to his free hand and winked at him. "Probably because you're here."
"The system's rigged," Bak muttered, "Everyone knows you. That's definitely how this keeps happening," but he threaded his fingers around Komui's and let him lead them through the crowds.
"Nice haul, Director!" someone called out as they walked past, "Your date's pretty cute too!"
Bak spun around scowling, almost knocking Komui off-balance as he cast his eyes around for the perpetrator, but whoever had spoken out had already melded back into the crowd.
Komui smiled broadly. "I am rather adorable, aren't I?" he quipped, nudging Bak to get him to move along. "Your subordinates are delightful, Bak-chan."
"If by delightful you mean far too familiar with their superior officers then yes, you could say that," Bak replied, finally going back down from his tiptoes as he resigned himself to the fact that his cat-caller was gone forever.
"At least you've never been sat on when they try to stop you going somewhere."
"Oh, our scientists aren't allowed to sit on me," Komui told him cheerfully, "Reever says my joints are far too pointy for that, he doesn't want anyone to bruise themselves."
"Charming," Bak said dryly. His arms were starting to feel heavy. He adjusted his hold on his prizes and curled his hand around Komui's sleeve. "Come on, let's go find a nice quiet corner to eat these mooncakes before we ..."
"Look Bak-chan, they have a xiangqi board over there!" Komui exclaimed, suddenly doing an about-turn and yanking Bak with him. "I haven't played in years!"
"Let me guess," Bak wheezed, clutching his prizes to his chest and trying not to trip over the hem of his robes, "Your favourite piece is the cannon."
Komui laughed, bright and warm. "How did you know?"
Bak's cheeks prickled with heat. He ducked his head.
"Lucky guess," he said lowly, his eyes trained on his shoes so no one would notice how red he had grown.
Komui had only been to the Chang family mausoleum once without Bak, entirely by accident when he had got lost in the Asian Branch's winding caverns and had slipped through a locked gate in the hope he'd end up back in the main hall. Fou had chased him out of the dimly lit chamber, berating him for sticking his nose where he shouldn't and Komui had been careful not to wander back down that part of the Branch ever since.
The cavern was brightly lit with lanterns in dreamlike whimsical shapes and while it was noticeably less crowded and sombre in here than it was outside, Komui noticed there were still a fair number of people present, most of them leaving flowers and offerings on marble tombs while chatting quietly amongst themselves.
A red-faced girl from the Logistics Department was standing on the other side of the gate next to a flower cart and had rushed Bak the moment she had spotted him.
"Director!" she had gasped, shoving a bouquet of sweet osmanthus flowers right into Bak's face as soon as he approached, making him stumble backwards and trod on Komui's foot.
"I'm so glad you're here, these posies are selling like hotcakes but Assistant Director Wong said you always take the first blooms of the season and I - "
"Yes, thank you Mei," Bak said shortly, making a funny little coughing sound like he was trying to dislodge a petal from his throat. He handed off what he was holding to Komui in order to take the flowers from their flustered owner. "Don't fret so. These are lovely. You did a good job. Give my regards to your supervisor."
The girl coloured an even deeper shade of red at that, bordering on magenta. "I ... yes sir!" she whispered as Bak walked through the gates, inclining his head for Komui to follow.
"Thank you, sir! Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!"
Bak did not look happy at all here, as though all the festival joy was being siphoned out of him, but Komui knew why they had come and he suddenly regretted dragging Bak with him to all those game stalls earlier because now his arms were full and he could not hold his hand.
He contented himself with walking as close to Bak as he could without jostling him, and watched how Bak's back straightened and he lifted his chin as they stepped through the double lacquered doors and onto the main path.
As clan head his family crypt was front and centre in the chamber, the most ornate tombs there, though Komui could have done without the eyes following them as they walked. Most of the gazes seemed trained on Bak but every few steps or so someone would do a double-take as they realized who Komui was, but by then they had passed them by and he could let out the breath he was holding.
Finally they stopped at the bottom of some stone steps and Bak suddenly tensed, holding the bouquet he was carrying close to him like it was a protective charm as his mouth set into a hard line. Komui understood.
With some difficulty he managed to free one his arms enough that he could squeeze Bak's shoulder. Bak jumped and whirled on him like he had forgotten Komui was there.
"You go on ahead," Komui said gently, moving his hand to Bak's cheek. He leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Spend a little of the festival with your family. I'll be here when you're finished."
Bak's expression softened. His bottom lip may have trembled, but that could have easily been a trick of the light. Instead he turned his cheek into Komui's palm and kissed it before stepping back and letting him go.
"Thank you," he managed, a little roughly, and then headed up the steps on his own. Komui stared after him.
"Good call, Stringbean. Nice to see at least one of you has a good sense of judgement."
Komui looked down, wondering if he should be surprised or not. Fou had materialised out of the ether the last time he was here too, though instead of looking furiously indignant at his presence this time the gate guardian was regarding him impassively, her arms folded across her chest.
"I think," Komui began slowly, fully aware she had not taken her eyes off him, "that he worries a lot about not following tradition. Like I'm going to be offended because he wants to visit his parents' graves instead of making offerings to the moon goddess. He just needed some reassurance, that's all."
"Tradition," Fou snorted like it was a filthy curse word, propping her arms on a headstone and levelling Komui with piercing, inhuman eyes. "Yeah, tradition's got us to some great places over the years. He can't help that he was raised on it but the fact that he was born a bit of stickler doesn't really help either."
She pointed at Komui and oddly it felt like someone was levelling a knife at him, though given Fou's shapeshifting abilities it probably wasn't too far off the mark.
"You're good for him," Fou said at last after a long, tense moment. "He's more relaxed now, more willing to just ... let go of the stuff that he thinks matters, but really doesn't. It's like he's finally ready to just be."
"Oh," Komui replied quietly, feeling his own cheeks go a little pink. He didn't know quite what to say to that. "That's ... thank you? I mean Bak-chan's ... he's just ... to me he's wonderful and..."
Fou held up her hand to cut him off. "Okay, first of all? Gross. I don't need to hear about your entire romantic saga ... I got enough of that from the idiot's dad to last me a few lifetimes. Let's just agree that you make him happy and he makes you happy but we both know who's going to have the most fun if this whole engagement bit you've got going on goes south, yeah?"
Komui didn't like how she was eyeing the stuffed rabbit he had won for Bak, as though she would happily demonstrate what she meant, like the expression on her face wasn't enough of a clue. He cleared his throat loudly.
"Well," he told her brightly, "Seeing as we are engaged it only makes sense I get to know Bak-chan's family starting with his oldest living relative, right? To pay my respects and all."
Her eyes widened, and for one brief, heart-stopping instant Komui thought the next time he saw Bak would be in a hospital ward and he'd have to explain how he had made fun of the gate guardian's age and she had stuck him like a pig, but then Fou's eyes crinkled at the corners and she let out a sharp, ringing laugh.
It felt like the entire cavern was vibrating, like the very earth was shuddering beneath his feet. Fou advanced, but instead of gutting him she threw her arm around Komui's waist and squeezed him against her side.
"Ha!" she said boisterously, making more than one person crane their necks to look over in their direction. "You're all right, Stringbean. Maybe not exactly husband material just yet, but hey. You're not chopped liver either."
Komui coughed weakly. It felt like one of his ribs was about to snap. "Thanks," he grated out. "You're not so bad yourself. And you make a pretty badass dragon."
Fou's grin widened at this.
"Hey Stupid Bak!" she called out, turning and cupping her free hand to her mouth. "He's getting better at flattery. You trained him well."
For a minute there was silence and Komui worried that they had gone and offended the other visitors with their conversation when a voice drifted down from above, "Tell the whole blessed world, why don't you."
Bak sounded out of breath. Komui turned his head, alarmed at first but then confused as the sound of two sets of feet descended down the stone steps.
Someone was muttering, faintly at first and then decidedly louder.
"Your mother, she was ... she was, god ... what a woman ... the best Director we ever ... she was like the older sister we never had ..."
"Do you have to do this every year?" That was Bak, sounding exasperated but not caught out.
Fou suddenly released Komui as quickly as she had grabbed him, planting her hands on her hips. "Seriously?" she demanded, and one could almost hear the wry smile in her voice.
"This again? I thought moving back to HQ would have done you good, old man."
Komui's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "Jiji?"
"Hey! I ... I have every right to be here!" the middle-aged scientist slurred, suddenly teetering so far forward he nearly toppled down the steps and took Bak with him. He was very obviously drunk, if the wrinkle to Bak's nose was any indication.
"I knew your mother before ... before you even popped out of her, you little blond brat." They finally reached the bottom of the steps and Bak looked relieved for all of one second before Jiji swayed again, his dreads swinging as his head lolled forward. He dropped an empty wine bottle on the floor and gave another almighty sob.
"God rest her soul, no one ... not one fucking person loved the harvest festival more than your dear old dam. It always ... it always coincided with her birthday, you know? She'd have the best cassia wine brought in and then ... and then she'd drink us all under the table!" he whispered reverently, covering his flushed face with his hand and shaking his head ruefully before his head shot back up and he scowled at Bak and Fou.
"What's wrong with having a drink in her honour, eh?!"
Bak glanced up at the ceiling like he was praying for patience, looking so remarkably like Reever in that moment that Komui almost did a double-take.
"Nothing's wrong with that you old wine skin," Fou sighed, holding her hands up placatingly, "but I've told you time and time again, if you want to drink at Tui's grave bring someone with you so you can find your way down the fucking stairs without breaking your neck."
"Oh aye, the kids are just lining up to supervise an old man while he has a cry over his former boss," Jiji replied waspishly, and then heaved a great sigh. "Now I've gone and disturbed her boy while he was trying to bring her and his da flowers, so I guess you're going to throw me out? Go ahead then, do your worst."
"You weren't disturbing me," Bak murmured very quietly, though he looked torn between continuing to keep Jiji upright and putting himself as far away as possible from his wine-soaked wailing. He seemed to be mulling over his next words.
"Mother ... did enjoy the mid-autumn celebrations," he said at last, "the drinking, the lanterns, the moon-viewing ... it was all very special to her and I think she would be glad you came to visit."
Jiji stared at him, looking surprisingly sober, then he noticed Komui standing there for the first time and did a full-body leap backwards, causing Bak to drop him flat on his ass.
"Chief!" he exclaimed, looking up at him like Komui was a ghost freshly risen from the grave,
"What are you doing here!?"
"I'm here for the festival," Komui told him gently. "Same as you."
"He's here with me," Bak replied loftily.
Jiji squinted at them and then lay back on the stone steps with a wet-sounding chuckle.
"Holy shit," he said breathlessly. "That's ... oh wow, does the Boss know you're here?"
Bak's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.
"Reever's aware," Komui cut in quickly before everyone got the wrong idea.
"Of course he's aware," Jiji said, shaking his head pityingly. "He's your biggest cheerleader. Fuck's sake, for a man who never goes on a date he sure knows how to ..." He trailed off then, and slowly his eyes got round behind his tinted sunglasses.
"Oh my god," he whispered suddenly, sounding hushed and mortified. "I'm doing it, aren't I? I'm fucking up one of your dates."
Komui opened his mouth but abruptly closed it again when Bak shot him a baleful look.
"It's fine," he began but Jiji cut him off with a wave of his hand.
"No, no I get it," he said. "God forbid anyone get between the Chief and his 'Bak-time'."
"His what?" Bak demanded, but Komui was already at his shoulder.
"Nothing!" he exclaimed, his voice fake-bright. "It's nothing! That's ... what is that? I have no idea what he's talking about, the man is obviously not sober."
Jiji made finger-guns at them and winked. Bak's frown deepened.
"Komui ..."
"Yes, you're right, we should absolutely get back to the festival," Komui soldiered on and started nudging Bak back onto the path as best as he could with his arms still full.
"Jiji, great to see you ... don't stay out too late now or Reever will tar and feather you!"
"I'll stay with him for a bit," Fou offered and the pinched look on Bak's face finally smoothed out. Komui could have hugged her. "Make sure he doesn't start picking fights with the other mourners."
"You get into an argument with a bunch of Central-worshipping assholes one time ..." Jiji complained, and then grabbed the hem of Bak's sleeve as he walked past.
"You're a good kid, Director." He patted Bak's hand, his face surprisingly serious. "You're still a spoiled brat, but a good kid all the same. You do your dam proud."
Bak looked alarmed. "I ... thank you," he said at last, a little haltingly.
Jiji gave him a little shove. "Ah hell, don't make that face," he said. "You're gonna make me all weepy again. Go! Enjoy the festival with your man or the Chief will never let us hear the end of it."
"No," Bak remarked, turning around and raising his eyebrows at Komui, who was midway through making a furious 'cutthroat' gesture across his own neck and had to hastily drop his hand. "I imagine he won't."
"Bak-chan ..."
"Come on," Bak said to Komui, tucking his arm through Komui's and giving him a look that was suddenly, terribly fond. "Let's make the most of this night. I think those mooncakes you won have my name on them and I'm ready to collect."
"Woof," Komui heard Jiji whisper to Fou as he let Bak lead him away, "Mooncakes, huh. Is that what the kids are calling it these days?"
Fou snorted. "I wouldn't be surprised," she retorted and when Komui craned his neck around to glare meaningfully at them they both just grinned and gave him a thumbs up.
He turned back around and looked down at Bak hopefully.
"That wasn't a euphemism."
Komui sagged.
Well, he thought, you couldn't blame a man for trying.
“More wine?”
Komui lifted his head with some difficulty from Bak's lap, where he would have been content to spend the rest of his days truth be told, but before he could even think of putting his words together he felt a heaviness hit the glass between his slack fingers as Bak topped his drink up again.
"Are you trying to get me drunk, Bak-chan?" he teased, and squirmed a little when Bak smoothed his curling hair away from his forehead and dropped a kiss on the bridge of his nose.
"I think you're already halfway there," Bak retorted. The scent of cassia wine was warm and sweet on his person, the lantern light catching on his features and making them look soft and ethereal. Komui was suddenly, absurdly glad that he was already lying down.
He stretched out across Bak's lap anyway, craning his neck backwards to look up at the night sky. Even upside down the moon was bright and beautiful and he wondered if Bak had deliberately moved his office so that he could have a balcony overlooking the mountains or it had always been this way. He couldn't really think of much else at the moment, beyond how comfortable it was to lay across Bak's thighs like this.
They'd started out at the table of course, Komui watching as Bak took big bites out of his hard-won mooncakes and wondering if it was possible to love this man more than he already did. After that they gradually moved to the floor when Bak had hit his fourth glass of wine and proclaimed his robes were far too hot and stuffy and Komui was welcome to lay with him on the balcony in a state of undress if he wanted to.
That hadn't really been a euphemism either, Komui thought somewhat giddily as he turned his gaze away from the moon and back to the gaping collar of Bak's open robe, but at least the view was fantastic.
Calloused fingers suddenly pinched his cheek. "Your face is going to crack if you keep grinning that hard," Bak suddenly said, and then had to rear back a little when Komui raised his glass and toasted him, almost bopping him right in the nose in the process.
"Can you blame me?" he wanted to know, and covered Bak's mouth with the palm of his hand when he looked like he was about to comment. "Hush. Let me finish."
Bak raised an eyebrow and kissed Komui's palm in a way that made his heart flip-flop into his stomach and back up into his mouth but gestured at him to continue.
Komui dropped his hand and watched, mesmerized, as Bak threaded their fingers together.
"Thank you," he whispered to Bak, suddenly worried that if he raised his voice any higher he might choke on all the emotion that was building up in his chest. "For tonight. For everything. For agreeing to marry me. For loving me. I don't know how I can ever ..."
Bak huffed out a laugh at that. "You're ridiculous," he muttered and leaned down to kiss
Komui on the lips and cheek this time. He smiled crookedly.
"Thank you for showing up even though the invitation made it sound like you were in for a dreadful experience. I almost thought you wouldn't show."
"Why wouldn't I?" Komui asked, genuinely baffled at this, tipsy or not. "I would have come just to see you even if you'd said you wanted to pull out some old blueprints of the Order's waterways and go over them page by page."
Bak went crimson at that, or maybe it was just the lantern glow catching on his cheeks. Komui squeezed his hand.
"Thank you," he told Bak again seriously. "I had fun. It's nice to be home again, even if it's just for a couple of days."
"You could always stay a little longer," Bak said lightly, his whole body shuddering with laughter when Komui wiggled his hand free to tweak his nose.
"Nice try," Komui told him dryly. "I haven't had that much to drink. Miss Faye would kill me. Maybe come up with something more grandiose next time, you know, for the Lunar New Year. Something that will require my presence for ... perhaps the whole month?"
Bak snorted and batted Komui's hand away. "Dream big, Head Officer."
"You know I always do."
The corner of Bak's mouth quirked but he suddenly looked sombre, holding Komui's hand in his own and brushing his thumb over his ring.
"God, I used to hate this festival..." he said with so much relish that Komui almost sat up, concerned. Bak pushed him back down and started petting his hair, his expression suddenly far away as he looked at the moon.
"I mean I still gave everyone time off but after my parents ..." he trailed off and shook his head. "It just wasn't the same, you know?"
Komui squeezed his hand harder. "I know," he told Bak gently, thinking how homesick he had felt when he had first arrived at HQ and how he had struggled trying to teach Lenalee about their traditions when he had no one else to tell him if he was doing it right or getting it completely wrong.
Bak smiled, soft and shy in a way that dimpled his cheeks. "I had fun tonight too."
Komui couldn't take it anymore. He cupped his hand around the back of Bak's neck and dragged him down into another kiss.
Bak fumbled a bit at this, making a blind grab for the wine glass in Komui's other hand. He drained it dry in one swallow and then tossed it aside, where it rolled into a corner out of the lantern light, forgotten.
"I love you," Bak told him, his hands on Komui's cheeks and his voice raw, like he was still unused to saying it after all this time and then he was on top of him, his robe slipping all the way down to his navel and exposing him in the moonlight. He put his mouth against the shell of Komui’s ear.
“I’m glad that we can share the beauty of the moon together tonight, even though sometimes you are thousands of miles apart from me.”
Komui sucked in a deep breath, his face growing hot.
"First wine and now poetry? A man could get used to work meetings like this," he said, planting his hands on Bak's hips and going down willingly when Bak scowled and kissed him so hard they landed in a pile of colourful silks and tangled limbs on the balcony floor.
Reever glanced at the clock on the wall and then back at the Ark Gate, tapping his foot anxiously.
The past couple of days had flown by like a dream and while he was beyond pleased that they had managed to get so much work done in the Chief's absence, the absolute silence from the Asian Branch ever since he had left was starting to put him on edge.
Assistant Chief Faye would no doubt want a report and he could only hope that Komui hadn't spent the entire time in honeymoon-mode and would actually deliver.
He had just turned his heel to start pacing again when the beams of light making up the Ark rippled and an entire contingent of guards stepped through.
Komui beamed at him, a talisman prototype, a lantern and a bag full of festival treats and souvenirs tucked under his arm. He waved at Reever.
"Honey, I'm home!"
Reever let out the breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. Komui looked a little rumpled, like someone had tangled their fingers in his hair and kissed him stupid before shoving him through the portal, but he was alive and Lenalee looked beside herself with delight so he could only assume that everything had gone according to plan.
Thank heaven for small miracles.
"How was the meeting?" he asked, falling into step beside Komui as he gave his sister a big hug and they split off, Lenalee heading back through the Ark to go back to her mission.
"Terrible," Komui said cheerfully, grinning from ear to ear as he handed his festival bag off to Reever. "I thought I was going to die of boredom. But at least Bak-chan was there."
"Is that right? Assistant Chief Faye will be pleased."
"Oh I have no doubt," Komui told him. "She'll be over the moon. We made a great breakthrough, Bak-chan and I. This talisman is going to be a real asset once we get it field-ready."
"Is that what you're going to say when she asks you why you're so cheerful?" Reever quipped and knew then, the way Komui grinned at him, that Bak must have let slip about the part he had played in all this.
"Oh, don't worry," Komui assured him, "this smile is going to drop right off my face the moment I see all the work she's kept aside for me, and I won't even have to act."
Then he turned his head and winked.
"You should come along to the next meeting. Bak-chan said he'd love to have a man of your experience around. Three heads are better than one, as they say!"
Reever stopped in his tracks, and hadn't even realised he'd stopped until Komui got to the other end of the corridor and cupped his hand to his mouth to call back to him,
"Reever? Quit dawdling, I need you to look over this report before Miss Faye gets anywhere near it!"
Reever grimaced. One crisis averted and already another one was looming on the horizon.
He dragged his hand down his face and sighed, wondering if it would be pointless to bring this up with Bak the next time he was visiting HQ.
Trust Komui to turn the word 'meeting' into his new favourite euphemism.
Reever shook his head.
"Glad to have you back, sir."
-
-
END.