Work Text:
His adversary never failed to undo him despite his best efforts, it seems.
No matter how he railed and swore against his unseen assailant, Karamatsu found that every attempt at offense or resistance made would inevitably come to crumble within the instant he had managed to latch onto a bit of control only for it to be wrested away from him, and with it, all his carefully curtailed plans which would as a result be proven to come to naught.
It was a wonder at all that he was being kept on at the agency, for his colleagues had already far surpassed him on this account. What they would consider to be a trifling affair Karamatsu had grudgingly come to deem as an excruciating debacle, seeing as to how he was prevented from making any further strides in his once proudly ascertained stellar work.
It was infuriating, it was intriguing, yet most of all it was addicting.
Since his initial encounter with what he was certain is now his sole opponent, scarce were the days in which Karamatsu could be seen away from his desk as he was more often than not retained there at times by sheer will and relentless determination alone despite how little progress came about as a result of his tiring efforts, fingers flying incessantly across the keyboard as his gaze flitted across the screen until he was eventually forced to withdraw and end his battle for a time which could only be temporary and fleetingly so.
And thus would his days have gone on to be conducted in such a manner had it not been for a particularly stubborn line of code which he considered to have been devised specifically for him, which transposed everything from that moment on.
It was a day in which he had been left entirely to his affairs, nearly the whole of his floor having departed for a social planned a week prior while a few others were given leave to return home. A storm had encroached upon the city on the night that the majority of Karamatsu’s colleagues had arranged the event, the rain pouring in thick rivulets at first before the wind shifted directions and sent it battering against the darkened glass of a discreet meeting room invitation permitted entry. Karamatsu had not been considered throughout the procession as per usual, and he did his utmost best to pay no mind to yet another callous gesture towards him on their part and wished them well once they made off through the door. No reply was given in return and soon Karamatsu was left amongst a sea of blackened monitors, his own being the only one which was aglow.
He struggled to regain his momentum from earlier which had declined a bit in speed when he paused to bid his colleagues farewell, eyes soon beginning to burn from the insistently bright glare of his computer screen as an hour or so passed him by whilst he made haste to decipher a line of code which he had become engrossed in- and so taken in by this string was he that Karamatsu had failed to realize that he was no longer alone within the wide room until the power was abruptly shut off, the sole illumination being that of the hallway light outside the main office door before it too was cut, plunging the room into steep darkness.
Karamatsu froze, remaining still for a few moments before he was snapped from his reverie once the initial shock faded from his eyes to be replaced with growing uncertainty and he made to roll his chair back, upon which having done so he would have then made to stand- but all conscious thought immediately came to a cease once he registered the sound of soft footfall closing in from behind before a hand was soon fisted in his hair, yanking his head back over the top of his chair while the side of a blade was immediately pressed against his throat, rendering him absolutely still and preventing there from being any motion made to scream.
The man- for surely it was a man- which held tight to him leered in the enveloping darkness as he turned the blade and deftly slid it along the prone flesh of his captive's throat and Karamatsu's eyes widened in inexplicable horror, the reality of his plight hurling down upon him with full force just as the man made to slit his jugular-
-only to be stopped dead when the lights above surged back to life, flooding the room for an instant with blinding white and allowing Karamatsu a full visage of his captor's countenance which paled upon their eyes having met, the recognition which came to fill the hacker's eyes as he was released immediately sending his assailant- his colleague- scrambling out of the room and down the flight of stairs nearest, leaving his stunned and near victim of his vices to slide off of his chair and onto the floor.
An interminable amount of time had seemingly come to pass him by before Karamatsu could bring himself to still his mind enough to lessen a bit of his shaking, though the insistent trembling of his frame and quivering of his hands spoke otherwise, and in the duration of time it took him to somewhat gather his bearings another figure approached though this one lacked any sign of visible malice, pausing to glance first at the screen of the monitor which was in the process of starting up along with the others in the room before he rested his gaze upon the kneeling agent on the ground who stiffened, panic screaming in his eyes once he was aware of his presence and had reacted by immediately pressing himself against his desk, shrinking back without a word as he was yet rendered unable to speak.
"You... You really must not know about this place- or any of this."
It was a statement made with almost near certainty, far from that of an inquiry, and the sheer confusion and impassable terror with which he had just come to experience left Karamatsu at even more of a loss as he gazed up at the other with consternation, words failing him on every front. The stranger regarded him in silence for another moment or so before turning his attention back to the lit screen above the others head, scanning the line of undeciphered code which drew an inward sigh from him, eyes further softening as they fell full upon the disheveled hacker yet kneeling at his feet who gazed back up at him with nervous apprehension.
"This one yours?"
The stranger gestured to the glowing monitor and it took a second before Karamatsu gave a jerky nod, uncertain as to how he ought to go about responding- if he should at all, though it was too late now to consider doing so otherwise. The man hesitated for a moment before starting forward without warning, his sudden movements at last eliciting a cry from the other.
"W-Wait-!"
At once he stopped, freezing in his tracks as he was faced with the agent's glassy eyes, tears not yet having fallen despite his earlier panic though his pale countenance remained entirely devoid of color as he held his hands up beseechingly. "I-I have m-money-" The hacker began before he frantically searched his pockets, hands trembling as he reached for his wallet and fumbled to get it open. "Y-You can take it- a-all of it, s-so-"
"Hey, settle down. I'm not like that other guy." The stranger cast a derisive glance in the direction of the half opened door, glaring into the yellow light of the hallway before his gaze softened once he turned back to the speechless agent. "Really. He was a jackass to begin with." To this Karamatsu said not a word and the other at last took a small step forward, flashing his empty hands to affirm he meant no harm in response to his fellow hacker's increased trembling. "Look, I'm not here to hurt you or anything- well, okay, I was going to give you a bit of scare to surprise you and all, but you probably had enough of that for one night. Anyways, I was just curious which is why I came down here in the first place.”
"C-Curious?"
Karamatsu clamped a hand over his mouth, appearing as though horrified for having voiced an inquiry at all and wished to prevent any others from escaping him, and the stranger couldn't help but grin at his continued puzzlement. "Yeah, curious." He started forth again and this time Karamatsu remained still, eyeing him warily with no less anxiousness than before as the stranger swiftly decoded the line of text before turning back to him with a smirk. "I just wanted to see who the guy was that constantly tried to block my every move and failed each and every single time~"
It took a second or two for the stranger's words to settle before it clicked and Karamatsu's eyes widened as he took in the others full visage, gaze riveted upon the hacker and his formerly strictly cyber opponent. "Y-You're-!"
"Yep, it's me." The other affirmed as he brushed a finger under his nose, grinning wide. Karamatsu shook his head, albeit slowly, almost at a loss for words again. "Surprised? It didn't take much to track down your agency's location, y'know. The security seems to be slipping too. Not that it matters to me or anything, but is this place really doing okay?
"T-That's... Why?"
The unexpected inquiry took the hacker aback a bit and he blinked. "Uh, why what-"
"Why did you save me?" Karamatsu mumbled as he glanced off to the side, wrapping his arms round himself. "Why go to so much trouble...? I'm practically your enemy, all things considering- and it would have been far simpler for you to gain control of the system if one of us were to be gone." The other hummed, considering before he took a step away from the computer and towards his fellow hacker, regarding him for a moment.
"You are my enemy- but that doesn't mean you’re a bad guy.” The stranger considered for a moment before adding, voice softening. “Actually, you really might not be one at all since they went after you like that." Karamatsu blinked, unable to come up with a response in time before the other held his hand out to him. "And besides," The stranger continued on, gaze flickering over to the monitor as he smiled for a brief moment. "I didn’t come all this way just to see you die- and maybe I also did it because you're my enemy in the first place."
This rendered Karamatsu absolutely speechless once again though he accepted the others proffered hand and stood, releasing it as he studied him in consternation. "... Okay?"
The stranger blinked at the blandness of such a reply, taken aback as though he was expecting more before sighing, shaking his head. "You're slow on the uptake, aren't you? Same as on the web and off." Karamatsu hesitated for a moment, uncertain as to what the other had meant before realization dawned upon him and he couldn’t help but to quip in return.
"I'm sorry, but perhaps that may be because you have as always failed to make your intentions clearly known." The other's eyes widened at this for a split second before he smirked, amusement evident as he leaned back against his adversary's desk with his arms crossed.
"Since when do hackers ever say why they're hacking to the person that's trying to stop them from doing it in the first place?"
This gave Karamatsu pause for a moment and the other grinned in triumph. "See? At least I have some excuse. You, on the other hand..." The other nodded in the direction of the screen, giving its owner a meaningful look before concluding his sentence. "... Are like this, which is why you somehow ended up getting involved by protecting that. I was hoping you would've at least been able to decode it before I arrived, but no such luck."
Karamatsu frowned though he drew nearer to the monitor, running his gaze over the recently resolved string then paled at once upon the sight that he was met with, blood running cold. His fellow hacker beside him straightened himself, no longer leaning against the desk as its owner nearly stumbled back, heart lurching. "I-Is this...?"
"Real?" The other supplied helpfully upon hearing his former opponent's waver. "Sadly it is, otherwise I wouldn't be spending nearly all day and night trying to get it uncovered." Karamatsu grew ashen and he shut off the monitor, sinking down into his chair with his head in his hands.
"T-This can't- no, no this isn't- that isn't- you're not-
"What? Look buddy, I'm just trying to get you to understand how things really are, so relax- I'm not expecting you to go after them." There was a short pause and a chuckle though a humorless one as the other continued. "That's more my job if anything."
"I suggest you call it quits, pack up everything and disappear for a while." The other announced and Karamatsu gradually raised his head, lowering his hands. "You don't have any family, do you? No relatives, kids?"
"Do I look as though I have children?" The agent sighed, weary. His former adversary managed a chuckle at that despite the gravity of the situation they had both been met with.
"Well, no- you don't strike me as the super upstanding citizen type at all. Y'know, the one that's got all his shit together, a wife and family with all these big dreams and aspirations or whatever. Just thought to ask to be sure though."
Karamatsu groaned, placing his head back in his hands. "How courteous of you. For the record, I cannot conjure up such an image for an individual of your personage either."
"Personage? What century are you from?"
"Perhaps the one where the use of archaic and modern tongues may clash at times to assert dominance yet inevitably come to intertwine with one another in perfect harmony."
The other fell silent for a moment before bursting into such a fit of mirth as Karamatsu had never once heard, inducing him to raise his head to inquire if the other was alright as his laughter was so raucous, before realization dawned upon him and he turned away, cheeks coloring as he managed a somewhat awkward smile. "It wasn't that funny..."
"Not that funny- Geeze, do you always make surprise attacks like that? How do your coworkers stand you?!"
Karamatsu recalled for a moment. "They don't." He answered within the next second, smile waning a bit. His fellow hacker took note of his dimming smile and his own followed suit, laughter quickly dissipating.
"Well, they don't know how much they're missing out on then."
Both hackers' eyes widened immediately upon registering this comment and the pair flushed, glancing away from each other before the former stranger broke the silence again.
"Hey, why don't you come with me? I could do with some company, and I've got to admit that you're not too bad t all the tech stuff yourself." He paused, then quickly added. "I mean, that's only if you've got no other place to go, that is." Karamatsu considered a bit before glancing back at his former adversary, expression contemplative before it was shadowed with worry.
"I don't, but what about...?"
"Oh, the asshole who came at you with a knife?" Karamatsu winced, nodding and the others gaze darkened. "Don't worry, he's wrapped up in that mess too. If word gets out to the press, he's done for- as are all those bastards who thought they could get away with this shit for so long."
"Do you really think you'll be able to-"
"Not really, no."
Karamatsu took a step back, horrified. "Ah, but didn't you just say-"
"I said if," The other sighed, lounging back against the desk again. "-there's no guarantee it'll all work out in the end, sadly. We'll just have to try our best."
"And to think I've been safeguarding all of this, this secrecy... If I had only known, I would've-"
"Joined in with the hacking club like me?"
Karamatsu made a face. "Well, no but-"
The other chuckled. "You just don't want to admit I was right for doing what I was doing all along." His fellow hacker looked him over with exasperation.
"Drawing up innumerable walls of indecipherable text coded in multiple languages does warrant you as a bit over the top, doesn't it?"
"Hey, that's nowhere near as bad as your flowery bullshit! Who arms their firewalls with chunks of words taken from ancient poetry and movie scripts? With the deciphering keys being mixed in with more lines that aren't even from the same texts?!"
Karamatsu failed to hold back his laughter, smile widening once he regained his composure. "I nearly had you there." His former adversary rolled his eyes, smirking.
"Yeah, but it took me only a week or two to figure it out. You got through after slogging through it all for like, what, almost a month? Talk about being slow, I was seriously bored and almost wanted to get rid of it myself!"
"I-!" Karamatsu started, flushing as he narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. “Well-! I'd like to have you know that it was because I dutifully spent nearly every hour of every day perusing numerous books compiled on online archives and as many physical libraries I could visit in the duration of that time!"
The others eyes widened at this, eyes brimming with astonished amusement as he laughed aloud, shaking his head. "Oh my god- that's why you took forever?!" He grinned, beaming bright. "I used a random translator tool then just slopped it all together last minute!"
Karamatsu's face fell. "That would explain the abysmally absurd wording-!" He replaced his head back in his hands, muttering as the other chortled upon seeing his reaction to such a revelation. "And why those sentences never did quite match up to any translations..." The agent continued, not bothering to raise his head again as he groaned. "I hate you..."
"Heh, yeah I thought I hated you too."
The others cheeks flushed a bit and he brushed a finger under his nose to shield the gradually spreading flush from view as he addressed his fellow hacker again who appeared just as taken aback as he was abashed from such an admittance. "Say what you want, but in the end this might work out really well, you and I being a team and all." He pushed himself off of the desk, straightening as he did so before grinning again, eyes nearly aglow in the light from the fluorescent panels above despite his fellow hacker not yet having looked up at him. "So, what do you say? Care to join me underground and expose those bastards for all that they're worth?"
Karamatsu paused, milling a bit before slowly raising his head and once again took in the full visage of the one who stood before him.
A few hours prior he had been naught more than a nameless face, a cold and impersonal string of innumerable and indecipherable ciphers strung together in a long withstanding cord which Karamatsu could only dream of being able to find coherency in its form, leading him to eventually become entangled within what has now become a tapestry which is only now coming to be undone.
Slowly, a smile formed upon Karamatsu's countenance, warm and unfettered as he nodded and stood to meet his new partner. "It will be a pleasure." He paused to add almost as an afterthought with an apologetic smile and a quick, small bow of his head. "Ah- before I forget, I'm Matsuno, Karamatsu. I'm afraid there wasn't much of an opportunity for us to properly introduce ourselves to each other before all of this."
The others grin widened further if such a feat could be possible and he nodded as well, mirroring the gesture. "And I'm Osomatsu, last name doesn't matter." Not in this case, he didn't think to add, leaving such a thought indirectly stated- a reason for which would surely be made known to his new companion over time. "Right then, I'm looking forward to working with you, Karamatsu-san!"
If the other was at all offended or taken aback by such a gesture of familiarity it failed to be shown as Karamatsu simply accepted this form of address, smiling with warmth evident in his voice as he returned it with a similar one of his own. "I am as well, Osomatsu-san. Thank you for saving me, I hope that we can get along from here on out."
Osomatsu brushed a finger under his nose as he glanced off to the side. "No problem, it would've been a shame to lose a guy like y- He paused, backtracking as he started away from the desk, remedying quickly. "-to lose a chance at being able to meet you after coming all this way, y’know?”
Karamatsu nodded, about to respond in the affirmative but was stopped short of doing so when a warm hand closed around his own and tugged him with haste towards the half open door, rendering him in being able to do little else but to stumble along at first before matching the speed of the others gait as they both spilled out into the yellow glow of the hallway and made their way down the stairs. Upon reaching level ground again, Osomatsu released ahold of the stunned former agent’s hand who glanced up at him despite his evident flush, about to inquire before being prevented from doing so. “Ah, sorry about that! I forgot to mention earlier that some of your coworkers are probably going to come back to make sure that you really were killed! Scary, isn’t it? That’s why I ran us both out like that. They really don’t fool around here!”
Karamatsu nearly gaped in horror at this and the other softened his eyes, flashing him a reassuring smile. “Hey seriously, don’t worry about it okay? You’re safe now, I promise.” As if to further ascertain this fact, Osomatsu hesitated before resting a hand upon the others shoulder, squeezing gently as he added with a smile which was gradually growing fonder with each passing second. “I won’t let them get rid of my new partner that easily.”
Karamatsu hesitated at this, eyes widened upon registering the gesture and he quietly studied the former stranger for a time. He recalled the many hours spent hammering away at his keyboard, most if not all attempts proving futile which at first served to irritate him before founding admiration for whoever it was that opposed him on the other end of the screen. He recalled the toneless greeting of his coworkers seated nearest each morning, their stolid ignorance of him throughout the day and their hasty departure at night.
He recalled how he was often left alone- alone that is, save for his seemingly tireless opponent who never hesitated to send cipher after near impenetrable cipher his way whether in sickness or in health. Since his initial resolution of such a string a few months back, nary did a day go by in which he wasn’t affronted by a vast array of them whose numbers only continued to grow as he slogged through them sometimes for weeks at a time until he exhaustively managed to decoded a few, and it was through these ciphers that Karamatsu had found a leverage, a base upon which to stand when all else appeared to be slipping through his fingers.
His family, long gone. His coworkers who wished to have nothing to do with him. The unsavory men who would at times make a pass at him on the train or attempt to do worse. The slow, trudging walk back to an apartment void of life, greeted by his own echo of a greeting which held no purpose in being given. And throughout it all, there were those ciphers. There was that existence, that intangible form which remained ever present and provided his life with its meaning… And apparently has evolved in a way to improve it now.
Karamatsu smiled at his former adversary, the sole individual who had allowed him to continue striving forth with the strings of codes he fashioned together which, unbeknownst to him, had essentially preserved his existence on the earth upon which they tread, and had more recently salvaged again- this time, with conscious intent- and once more with the lingering warmth of his hand which had grasped onto his and the gentle hold he had on his shoulder. Osomatsu returned his smile without reservation, pleased that the other was no longer panicked or ill at ease and neither of the two spoke for a time as he loosened his grip, withdrawing his hand with a bit of reluctance which he did his utmost best to mask.
It seldom went unnoticed however as Karamatsu noted the others slight hesitation, and his heart swelled a bit at the sight as he gazed at him, forgetting himself entirely in this moment.
And so the pair stood, beholding one another in this manner for another second or so before at last Osomatsu insisted that they should go upon which Karamatsu had agreed immediately and soon they set off from the agency, their hands at times brushing as they strode along which they immediately retracted at first before tentatively allowing it if it appeared to have occurred on accident before they at last disappeared into the night close alongside one another, leaving not a single trace as to how they could be found.