Work Text:
Rei looked down at the blood-stained carpet and the man lying in the center of the mess. He felt the anger leaving his body, as if it had died along with the man on the ground; his only gift to the world. Normally, Rei was quick about his work (and didn’t stick around long enough to stare at a corpse), but this time it was different. He had taken his time, and he had waited around to make sure the job was done. The biggest irony was that this hadn’t even been a contracted job for him – he did it of his own volition. And that had all been because of you.
“What do you mean, you don’t have any jobs for us?!” Kazuki shouted. Kyu sighed and went back to putting away glasses behind the bar. “You both know your work has been messy as of late. And you both know how much the organization frowns upon that,” he spoke flatly, not making eye contact with Kazuki or Rei. They both knew they’d been going through a bit of a rough patch in their jobs recently, and Rei knew better than anyone how much shit they’d find themselves in if it continued. Rei just nodded, even though no one saw.
“Come back in a week and maybe the organization will have cooled off. Until then,” Kyu slid two envelopes across the bar, “here’s some money to cover your expenses.” Kazuki grumbled as he picked his up, but Rei picked up the envelope silently and slid it into his jacket pocket. “Thanks for nothin’, Kyu,” Kazuki called, he and Rei heading for the door. Rei started to push the door open, but a second later he heard a muffled yelp. He jumped back, startled by the unexpected noise. And that’s when he saw you.
You pulled the door open sheepishly, hesitant to enter the establishment. But when you glanced up and met his gaze, Rei felt something inside him that was foreign. His heart fluttered. Was he dying? Surely this was a heart attack – definitely not the alternative option. He was still deeply pondering his fate when he heard Kazuki speak up. “Sorry about my friend here, he has absolutely no sense of grace,” he said, stepping closer to you. “I’m Kazuki, by the way. Are you okay? He didn’t hurt you with the door, did he?” You maintained eye contact with Rei as you listened to the blonde’s attempts at being smooth. And then Rei heard your voice.
“Oh, that? Eh, I’ve had worse. No harm, no foul,” you said, smiling at Rei. There it was again, that pesky heart flutter. He was dying, he had to be. There was no way you were having this big an impact on him after 30 seconds. Kazuki, seemingly oblivious to your lack of interest in him, took another step toward you. “Well, I never would have let that happen to you,” he said, trying so desperately to meet your gaze. As if by sheer instinct, you took another step toward Rei as Kazuki moved. Rei chuckled at your clever move, but when he realized how close you were to him, he froze. His face felt hot. What was happening to him? He had never felt this way before.
“You okay over there?” Your voice cut through his rapid thoughts, and he looked at you again. You were smiling at him still, but there was a hint of concern in your eyes. Quickly, he stared at the floor and nodded. “Sorry...about the door,” he managed, his voice barely above a whisper. He was still staring at the floor when he felt something warm on his shoulder. He glanced up and saw that you had placed your hand there. “Hey, it’s honestly fine. Nothing to make a big deal of, I promise,” you said, and Rei swore your voice was the warmest thing he’d ever heard. Listening to you made him feel like he was sitting by a fireplace under a thick blanket. It felt cozy and it felt like home. And Rei had never really felt a sense of home before.
“Can I, uh...buy you a drink? You know. For your trouble.” He barely got the words out before Kazuki felt it necessary to speak up yet again. He can’t ever help himself, Rei thought. “Are you serious, Rei?! There’s no way they want to sit with you, you’re such a wet blanket. Clearly, I’m the one they should be spending more time with,” he tried once again to inch closer to you, but you didn’t let him, moving out of his way. Rei was about to speak up and tell Kazuki to fuck off when he heard you speak.
“First of all, I know what I want better than anyone, much less some guy I met two minutes ago. And my god, you are oblivious, aren’t you? I have no interest in you.” And with that, you walked past Kazuki to go and sit at the bar, motioning for Rei to come and sit with you. He couldn’t believe his eyes or his ears. No one had ever picked him over Kazuki, let alone in such a bold manner. He smiled to himself as he walked back to the bar and sat down next to you.
Kyu had overheard everything, and offered a smug look to Kazuki, who proceeded to very loudly storm out and slam the door behind him. “God, what an asshole,” you said. “Oh, shit, I’m sorry. He’s your friend. I don’t wanna be rude.” “Oh, no, please be rude,” Kyu chimed in. “It’s not every day we get to seek Kazuki get shut down so magnificently. Plus, he was being a creep. If he’d continued, I would’ve handled him, but it was nice to not have to do that. He’s a pain.”
“He is my friend, yeah, but Kyu’s right. He’s a pain. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Rei wasn’t sure how he was managing to speak right now, but he certainly wasn’t complaining. “Oh, you all are friends? Well, it definitely seems like he’s the one who gives you the most trouble,” you chuckled. “You two seem super laid-back and respectful.” Rei was so certain he was about to keel over from this impending heart attack. His heart simply refused to stop fluttering. “We’re coworkers, but yeah, I guess we’re also friends. Rei, are you alright?” Kyu noticed how absolutely flushed Rei’s face was and was growing concerned. Rei nodded stiffly, trying to avoid admitting (to Kyu or to himself) what was actually happening to him. Without another word, Kyu brought over two glasses of water. Quickly, Rei took a large sip and hoped it would help cool him down.
“I’m fine,” he said softly, looking down at the bar. You gently placed a hand on his arm, and he tried to stifle the excitement that was ruthlessly persistent inside of him. “Hey,” you said, somehow sounding even warmer than you had before, “thank you. I saw you getting ready to defend me when your friend was being a dick. I could tell it wasn’t easy for you, either. But I appreciate you even wanting to try.”
Now Rei was sure his heart was on the verge of exploding. God, who would’ve thought he’d ever have feelings like this? Did he even deserve to have them? He did kill people for a living, after all. Should he ever have happiness? He interrupted the thought train before it went too far off the rails and tried to focus on the present. “Sure thing,” he mumbled. “He was being a dick, you’re right. I just wanted to make sure he didn’t cross a line.” He looked up and saw your smile, which he swore was so beautiful it could probably solve many of the world’s problems. He was starting to get lost in your smile when Kyu reappeared.
“Can I get you guys anything to drink?” he asked, noting how clearly distracted his coworker was. His voice seemed to snap Rei back into reality, and he cleared his throat promptly. “I guess I did offer to buy you one,” he said to you, “what do you like?” You hesitated for a moment, pondering your decision. Rei wondered what your drink of choice was; did you even drink? Maybe you liked those super fruity drinks like Kazuki, or maybe you enjoyed a nice glass of wine every once in awhile. He was very deep in thought when you said, “can I have a whiskey?” and he must have let out some sort of noise because you looked at him funny. “Is that okay with you?” you asked, trying to stifle laughter at his apparent response.
“Uh...yeah, sure. Just didn’t expect you to be a whiskey drinker, that’s all,” he said, managing to save face (he hoped). You smiled at him before turning to Kyu and saying “you know what? Let’s make it two whiskeys.” Kyu chuckled and nodded, bringing the glasses over a moment later. You took one and slid the other over to Rei, who hesitantly picked it up. He didn’t drink often, mostly because he didn’t like hangovers, but he figured he could make an exception this once. You lifted your glass, clinking it against his, and then he watched in awe as you swallowed every drop of the liquid. With you now watching him, Rei lifted his glass and slowly drank his whiskey, also managing to finish it in one fell swoop.
“Whoa, I didn’t expect you to finish yours all at once,” you said, seemingly in approval. Rei shrugged. “Figured if you can do it, I can too.” You giggled. “Do you want another? I’ll get the next round,” you offered. Rei felt like he may be getting carried away if he continued to chug liquor with someone making him feel as though he was floating. He hesitated in responding, and you sensed his uncertainty. “Hey, if you don’t want any more, that’s totally fine too. Honestly, I’m just enjoying your company right now.”
Once again, Rei felt like he could fly. He wanted to keep chasing this feeling as long as you would allow it. But he also knew he had to control himself. If he drank too much, his inner demons might come calling, and he definitely did not want to burden you with his lifetime of pain. You noticed his mind racing a mile a minute and tried your best to accommodate him. “Would you feel more comfortable if we went somewhere else? I don’t live far from here; we could go to my place if you’re okay with that.”
“What about...my place? It’s close, too,” he said, trying not to sound too eager to just be in his own home again. The thought of being in your place, while enticing, was also a little overwhelming. At least in his home, there were no surprises. And his heart just about exploded when you nodded and agreed to go back with him. “I should probably tell you though, Kazuki is my roommate. He might be there.” The last thing Rei wanted was to blindside you with this discovery. You simply shrugged and said, “if he gives me any more shit, we can just tell him off again.”
Rei was beaming (internally, of course). It was so unusual for people to prefer him to Kazuki and be consistent in their preference of him. He quickly paid Kyu and led you out the door (you only made one tiny joke about him hitting you with it earlier). The sun was setting, painting the sky bright pinks and oranges, and Rei paid close attention to how the light hit your skin and somehow made you even more radiant than before.
The walk was short back to Rei’s building, and he was grateful. The liquor was starting to hit him, and he was in desperate need of the comfort of his own home (and couch). Upon entering the building, he noticed you tense up. Rather than bring up the elephant in the room right away, he decided to give you some space to (hopefully) start to feel more comfortable. Entering his apartment, you seemed to loosen up. You commented on how much natural light there was and how comfortable everything looked, and that made Rei feel better. He quickly walked over to his favorite spot on the couch and sat down, inviting you to do the same. When you joined him, he noticed the slight tension remaining in your body language. He didn’t want to be intrusive, but he also felt a profound sense of urgency to fix any problem you might be experiencing.
“You look a little tense. Everything ok? I promise I’ll kick Kazuki out if he’s a problem.” You offered a tiny smile, and it made Rei’s heart hurt (since when could it do that?) knowing his guess wasn’t the root issue. “Nah, it’s not him at all. It’s just...I’ve been in this building before, and...well, let’s just say I don’t have very fond memories of the time I’ve spent here.” You were avoiding eye contact with him now, and Rei knew that must mean something truly awful had happened to you.
“Who was it?” His blunt question took you by surprise, but he was already too focused on making sure you never felt that way again. When you said the name of the man, so softly Rei could barely hear you, he knew what he had to do. But he would wait until the right moment; the last thing he wanted was to scare you off. He’d just gotten his first taste of what happiness could be like, and he was not ready to let it go. Rather than trying to comfort you with any of the empty phrases people use, Rei just simply draped an arm over your shoulders and pulled you closer to him. You lay your head on his shoulder and he just held you there, in comforting quiet. Even when you eventually did choose to open up to him about the abuse you had suffered, he said nothing, only pulling you in close and making sure you felt heard. This was the one time in his life Rei was extra grateful for all the training he’d been forced to endure – it made him able to listen to your story of survival and maintain composure (at least on the outside).
When you appeared to be in better spirits, you thanked Rei for listening and not judging. “Why would I judge? ‘S not your fault,” he said, with as much kindness as he could muster. Your eyes welled up with tears, but before they fell, you wiped them away. “Lots of people love to blame the victim, though, so it’s even more comforting when someone understands that I’m just that: a victim. A survivor.” Rei nodded, knowing he didn’t have the right words to reassure you right now. After a moment of sitting in quiet, Rei stood. “Do you want something to drink? I was going to make some tea, if you want some.” You nodded quietly, a smile returning to your face. He quickly returned with two steaming mugs of chamomile. While they cooled, you and Rei talked some more. He learned more about your life, your dreams and goals, and you learned...well, that Rei and Kazuki were roommates. That was about all he could get away with telling you, at least for now. There is no good way to tell a potential love interest ‘hey, by the way, I’m a hitman’ -- wait. A love interest?! He couldn’t be serious, he thought. Before he got too carried away with that train of thought, though, your voice snapped him back to reality.
“Oh my gosh, I didn’t even realize the time! It got so late so fast!” Rei glanced at his phone. It was practically midnight. Before his brain could catch up to his lips, he was offering to let you crash at his place, since he didn’t want you walking home alone. You blushed at his concern for you but said you didn’t want to impose. “I’m the one offering, so it’s not an imposition,” he said matter-of-factly. You chuckled and agreed to spend the night. Quickly Rei found you some comfortable clothes to sleep in and showed you where the shower was. Then he led you to his bedroom, offering to let you sleep there. “Shouldn’t you sleep in your bed? I can take the couch, it’s totally fine!” Rei grimaced. He hadn’t thought of needing to explain his sleeping arrangement to you so soon. But there was no time like the present, and you’d already been so vulnerable with him tonight. It only made sense to return the favor. “I, uh...I sleep in the tub. It’s a long story, but...if I sleep in a bed, it’s a nightmare. Literally.” He was eternally grateful when you simply nodded and didn’t pry any further about his response. You and Rei exchanged quiet good nights and he went to the tub, to try and get some restful sleep after what was undoubtedly one of the best days of his life so far.
But sleep eluded him. He tossed and turned, only able to think of your story – and the piece of shit who made you suffer. Thinking quickly, he searched the asshole’s name and found that he still lived in the building. Perfect, Rei thought, I can handle this right now. Quietly gathering some of his work gear, he snuck out of the apartment and headed for the correct unit. On his way, he had to hide from Kazuki, who was stumbling in drunk with one of the girls from that place he loved to visit. Figures, he would go for sympathy after being rejected like that. But Rei didn’t have time to think about his idiot roommate. He had a mission, and a personal one at that.
Breaking into the apartment was too easy. Dumbass didn’t even have the deadbolt locked. Rei laughed darkly to himself as he slunk through the living room. In the shadows he found his hiding spot; there he’d wait for the perfect opportunity to exact revenge on your behalf. Before long, he heard the grumbles of a drunken idiot trying to find his own bathroom. As soon as he was in sight, Rei pulled the trigger. Intentionally missing a spot that would kill him right away, he watched the oaf fall to the floor. Then Rei stood. He’d never felt more vengeful than in this moment. Not even during all his years spent being angry at his father or the organization had he ever done anything like this.
Standing over the coward, Rei glared down at his pathetic face. He was writhing in pain, but Rei didn’t care. He wanted him to suffer, just like he’d made you suffer. He kicked the wound in the imbecile’s belly, causing him to cry out. “Shut the fuck up,” Rei commanded. “I don’t want to hear another sound come out of your fucking face.”
The miscreant’s eyes grew wide and brimmed with tears. He tried to beg Rei for mercy, asking why he was even there. Rei’s eyes went dark with rage. “You know what the fuck you did. To y/n.” Upon hearing your name, the brute got smug. “What the fuck are they saying I did? You know they asked for--”
Before he could even finish his sentence, Rei had ended his life. Now he stood, watching the lifeless body of your abuser, and he felt better. He quickly cleaned up the mess and went back to his own apartment, hoping that now he could finally get some decent sleep.