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Lucci is just mildly annoyed. He is not seething or anything because then someone would be dead. No, he's merely annoyed and so the only one suffering is Lucci himself. The more annoying thing is that he can’t figure out what annoyed him to this point. Well, he knows why, he just doesn’t understand why.
The main reason for his mild, growing, annoyance is Kaku who is acting very weird. At first glance, nothing seems off. But as time passes, Lucci notices things.
First of all, Kaku is too polite. Now, the youngest of their little group has always been the most polite, but never to this point and never in front of Lucci. Before this, the two were close. Well, as close as being partners could be. They go on missions, Kaku would always find something funny to entertain himself and then share it with Lucci. Of course, being an “endless pit of darkness” as his younger partner would put it, he doesn’t react much aside from a few smirks here and there.
Their interactions aren’t that much outside of work but he was definitely closer to the square bastard than he was to other members. All of that isn’t really important now as the bond he didn’t even think he would care about is slowly disintegrating. He still has his cheerful attitude and quirky remarks about their targets but he doesn’t try to get Lucci to laugh at his lame jokes anymore. It was so unnerving when he noticed Kaku wasn’t joking around for the first time in a very long while.
And then there’s the second thing. Kaku is being way too respectful toward Lucci. He waits for orders, he asks for permissions and he doesn’t talk back. Even that time when Lucci's order could potentially get him killed, he just smiled and followed what he was told to do.
It took Lucci 6 months and 3 near deaths of Kaku to notice something was off.
He asked Kaku if there was anything burdening him but his young partner just looked at him with those wide eyes and that fake smile and said, “No, sir.”
The last time Kaku called Lucci “sir” was 10 years ago.
Lucci just stared at his partner and gave a dismissive “Alright then.” after what seemed like a very long minute.
And that takes him to where he is now. In his office, mildly annoyed.
Other members have noticed his bad mood and they’re getting anxious. Because one, Lucci does not have moods, bad or good, and two, he's just sitting there glaring at his brandy glass.
Stussy sighs, smiling mockingly at her new leader.
“What’s wrong, kitty cat? Did your little boy toy do something to you?”
Lucci decides if someone is dying today, she will be the first. He just glares harder and growls out a very calm “Get out.”
Stussy chuckles some more before figuring out Lucci is completely serious about killing her if she stays one more second.
She catches Kaku on his way to the kitchen, looking questionably happy.
“I hope pissing Lucci off isn’t why you’re so giddy right now.”
The young man blinks once and laughs like she's just said something dumb.
“I can’t say I know what you’re talking about there, Stussy. I would never piss my own boss off. It’s dangerous.”
A low voice catches their attention.
“Really, Kaku? I am glad you know not to piss me off. Come to my room. Now.”
Kaku gives Stussy a wink before following Lucci to his room. She raises an eyebrow and decides to just leave them be. Boys and their problems.
As Kaku closes the door behind him, Lucci just stares as he asks.
“What’s been going on with you, Kaku?”
“Nothing, si-”
“Don’t test my patience, Kaku. You know better than that. You've been following my orders to the letter and that’s dangerous. I know I’m not perfect and there are variables on our missions. You were trained to follow orders and improvise, not to blindly obey your leader. So if there’s anything hindering your ability to think,” he spits out the word, “you can ask for a holiday and I would gladly grant it to you.”
Kaku, the ever irritating little brat, blinks innocently.
“But you were the one who ordered me to, how did you put it? “Behave more like a good soldier. I am your superior, not your friend.” Was that it? I am just following your orders. Sir.”
So that’s the real reason. Well, shit. Lucci sighs and Kaku's mask breaks a little bit because Rob Lucci does not sigh. And just when Kaku thinks this day can’t get any weirder, Lucci laughs. Just really lightly but still a laugh nonetheless.
“Kaku. How long have we been together? Also if you call me ‘sir' one more time I will get creative with how I can publicly humiliate you.”
“Ah, well, almost 20 years.”
“Yes. I was the one picking you up from that shitty village. I was the one taking care of you for years. I was the one training you. I was the one picking you as my partner. I'm the one tolerating your lame jokes since the day you learned what jokes were. I do not spend that much effort on someone I don’t trust. Do you know why I dragged you into CP-0? Because you’re the only one I trust with my life. You are capable. But look at what you’re doing. You’re turning yourself into a death magnet because of something I probably said in a very bad mood.”
Lucci looks straight into Kaku's eyes. There isn’t anything there, of course. They were well trained, the both of them. Emotions are not to be shown so easily. That is to say, yes, Rob Lucci has emotions. He's just impeccable at suppressing them.
Kaku tilts his head and Lucci decides that it’s so cute it should be illegal.
“So are you saying our relationship isn’t just work? There’s some friendship somewhere between us?”
The silence stretches and Lucci can feel he just popped a vein.
The little shit. He planned this. He fucking planned this. Unbelievable. Actually, not that unbelievable. Kaku is a cunning bastard when he wants to be.
“Kaku. Play me again like this and I’ll kill you.”
Kaku finally drops his act and laughs. Getting Lucci to finally admit that they are friends definitely worth three near deaths.
“If you have time to laugh at me then I suppose you have time to sort documents. Finish these before lunch.”
Ah. Regret hits sooner than he expected.