[dj]the way we were - Act II
Sorry for the time it took for us to update this dj. It's my fault for giving Jelly so much material, and the chapter turned out to be humongous to draw (sorry Jelly). Nevertheless, it's finished, and here's the 1st part of ACT II. The rest of the act is also finished and waiting to be posted, but for the amount of work Jelly has put into this, she deserves enough comments before we give you more *is evil*. So say something ^_^
IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to the fact that Yoh decides to be difficult for Jelly to draw, and that I insist he appears, we've agreed to do the Yoh part in fic format, and the rest in DJ format. Please read the fic part before you go on to the DJ for a better understanding.
Title: The Way We Were ACT II
Rating: NC-17
Characters: Fei Long, Mikhail, Yoh (fic only)
Disclaimer: Characters Belong to Yamane Ayano. Story by me, illustrations by jelly_rie01
Worksafe: NO. No. No. No. and No. We take no responsibility for your unemployment or divorce over this.
Note: The story takes place after High Loft and before everything else, during the time when Fei Long just got out of jail and had not yet gained back his power or successfully rebuilt Baishe. This is my take on how Mikhail and Fei Long met and why their relationship has turned awkward at present. And since it's written by me, yes, there will be angst.
Previous chapter: The Way We Were Act I
Mediafire PDF Download of ACT II: http://www.mediafire.com/?chiy7kkgiejy1ye
Fei Long sat quietly on his armchair with a book in his hand. He had been trying to read for an hour without much progress. Every time he finished a sentence that Russian’s cunning smile would invade his thoughts and interrupted him. He kept wondering who the man was, and what he wanted with Baishe. But the worst part had to be the memory of that kiss. Why did I let him kiss me? He thought, brushing his lips with his finger. It’s ridiculous... I can still taste it.
Someone knocked on the door and interrupted his thoughts.
“Come in,” he said. He needed the interruption, after all.
The door opened and Yoh entered the study with a stack of documents in his hand. “I have the information you wanted,” he said as he proceeded to where Fei Long was. Fei Long had asked him to do a background check on the Russian right after the man had left. It was quite routine and the information wasn’t hard to come by. He knew he had seen that face somewhere before and he had never been wrong.
Without another word, Fei Long quickly placed the book down on a nearby table and walked towards Yoh who handed him the documents before he could snatch it. He realized he had grown impatient over the matter, but at that point it didn’t matter whether or not his right hand man noticed it. He probably did anyway. Despite his expressionless face, Yoh notices everything.
“Mikhail Vladimirovich Arbatov,” Yoh reported as usual as Fei Long flipped through the photographs in the folder. “Firstborn of one of the most powerful mafia boss in Russia. Their business involves firearm and diamond trades... among other things,” he explained. “We have reasons to believe he wants a market share of the casino in Macau, that’s why he’s here. Vladimir has never shown an interest in gambling business, but his son has recently acquired some properties in Las Vegas.”
Fei Long listened thoughtfully as he continued to browse the file. “I am familiar with the name Arbatov. My father mentioned them a few times when he was alive,” he nodded. That name had somehow disappeared from the scene after his father died and he hadn’t paid much attention to the Russians since.
“From the guest record, it would seem Vladimir attended your father’s wedding and funeral. He has also visited your father’s old house a few times some twenty years ago. You may have met him and his sons,” Yoh continued, secretly studying Fei Long’s face that grew more and more mischievous by the minute. It was rare to see that kind of playful smile on his boss’ face and somehow it gave him a bad feeling in his stomach.
“No, I would have remembered.” He would have been too cute to miss. Fei Long thought with a smirk on his face. Those golden curls and bright blue eyes would have been hard to forget no matter how young he was.
“Depending on his motives, he can be your most powerful ally or your worst enemy. You should be careful,” Yoh warned, even though he had a feeling it wasn’t going to do any good. From the look on that face, Fei Long had already decided to get involved.
“He’s Russian. Who would be foolish enough to ever trust them?” The Baishe leader replied, rolling the words in his mouth as if he was tasting a rare, fine wine.
“Still, we can use some support from the Russians to secure your place in Macau and Hong Kong. If we play this game right, it will be to our advantage.” Yoh had to admit this fact. Fei Long needed a powerful ally from overseas to bring Baishe back to its former glory. Since the Russian decided to approach him first, it was an opportunity they should seriously consider.
Fei Long looked at Yoh quietly for a few minutes, contemplating the possibilities of profiting from this unexpected encounter. “...What do you suggest?”
“Well, he obviously wants you to believe he’s a nobody. If you play along...”
“I’ll know his motives and perhaps also his weakness. Maybe even some dirty secrets we can blackmail the Russians with.”
Yoh nodded. “As long as you stay ahead of his game.” It was the catch and also the risk factor. “If you look at the file you’ll see his way of conducting business in the past. The man will make you pay for the bullet he shoots you with, if you let him.”
Fei Long smiled as he placed the file on the table and seated himself back down on the same armchair, only this time his expression resembled much of the Russian’s. “So it seems. Any weaknesses I should know about?”
“He does have a reputation,” Yoh replied. “The man seems to have no rules and his sense of adventure often leads to him taking unnecessary risks. He’s also been known to make decisions based on his moods.”
A sense of adventure. I can see that, Fei Long smirked as he remembered the man’s reaction to the knife at his throat. “Except what you call weaknesses, I find them to be his strongest defense.”
“Exactly,” Yoh agreed. It was a double edged sword and any way one looks at it, Mikhail Arbatov was a dangerous man. “How do you control someone who has no rules and changes his mind according to his moods?”
Fei Long peeked through his long, thick lashes and smiled. “It is his mood one need to control to gain a better hand.”
People are easy to control when they’re emotionally vulnerable. He had personally learned that lesson the hard way and swore to himself it would not happen again.
So you want to play games with me, Mikhail Arbatov. Let’s see what you’re made of.
****
(The unfinished spy file and cover are being colored and brought to life by the amazing good_chaser)
IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to the fact that Yoh decides to be difficult for Jelly to draw, and that I insist he appears, we've agreed to do the Yoh part in fic format, and the rest in DJ format. Please read the fic part before you go on to the DJ for a better understanding.
Title: The Way We Were ACT II
Rating: NC-17
Characters: Fei Long, Mikhail, Yoh (fic only)
Disclaimer: Characters Belong to Yamane Ayano. Story by me, illustrations by jelly_rie01
Worksafe: NO. No. No. No. and No. We take no responsibility for your unemployment or divorce over this.
Note: The story takes place after High Loft and before everything else, during the time when Fei Long just got out of jail and had not yet gained back his power or successfully rebuilt Baishe. This is my take on how Mikhail and Fei Long met and why their relationship has turned awkward at present. And since it's written by me, yes, there will be angst.
Previous chapter: The Way We Were Act I
Mediafire PDF Download of ACT II: http://www.mediafire.com/?chiy7kkgiejy1ye
Fei Long sat quietly on his armchair with a book in his hand. He had been trying to read for an hour without much progress. Every time he finished a sentence that Russian’s cunning smile would invade his thoughts and interrupted him. He kept wondering who the man was, and what he wanted with Baishe. But the worst part had to be the memory of that kiss. Why did I let him kiss me? He thought, brushing his lips with his finger. It’s ridiculous... I can still taste it.
Someone knocked on the door and interrupted his thoughts.
“Come in,” he said. He needed the interruption, after all.
The door opened and Yoh entered the study with a stack of documents in his hand. “I have the information you wanted,” he said as he proceeded to where Fei Long was. Fei Long had asked him to do a background check on the Russian right after the man had left. It was quite routine and the information wasn’t hard to come by. He knew he had seen that face somewhere before and he had never been wrong.
Without another word, Fei Long quickly placed the book down on a nearby table and walked towards Yoh who handed him the documents before he could snatch it. He realized he had grown impatient over the matter, but at that point it didn’t matter whether or not his right hand man noticed it. He probably did anyway. Despite his expressionless face, Yoh notices everything.
“Mikhail Vladimirovich Arbatov,” Yoh reported as usual as Fei Long flipped through the photographs in the folder. “Firstborn of one of the most powerful mafia boss in Russia. Their business involves firearm and diamond trades... among other things,” he explained. “We have reasons to believe he wants a market share of the casino in Macau, that’s why he’s here. Vladimir has never shown an interest in gambling business, but his son has recently acquired some properties in Las Vegas.”
Fei Long listened thoughtfully as he continued to browse the file. “I am familiar with the name Arbatov. My father mentioned them a few times when he was alive,” he nodded. That name had somehow disappeared from the scene after his father died and he hadn’t paid much attention to the Russians since.
“From the guest record, it would seem Vladimir attended your father’s wedding and funeral. He has also visited your father’s old house a few times some twenty years ago. You may have met him and his sons,” Yoh continued, secretly studying Fei Long’s face that grew more and more mischievous by the minute. It was rare to see that kind of playful smile on his boss’ face and somehow it gave him a bad feeling in his stomach.
“No, I would have remembered.” He would have been too cute to miss. Fei Long thought with a smirk on his face. Those golden curls and bright blue eyes would have been hard to forget no matter how young he was.
“Depending on his motives, he can be your most powerful ally or your worst enemy. You should be careful,” Yoh warned, even though he had a feeling it wasn’t going to do any good. From the look on that face, Fei Long had already decided to get involved.
“He’s Russian. Who would be foolish enough to ever trust them?” The Baishe leader replied, rolling the words in his mouth as if he was tasting a rare, fine wine.
“Still, we can use some support from the Russians to secure your place in Macau and Hong Kong. If we play this game right, it will be to our advantage.” Yoh had to admit this fact. Fei Long needed a powerful ally from overseas to bring Baishe back to its former glory. Since the Russian decided to approach him first, it was an opportunity they should seriously consider.
Fei Long looked at Yoh quietly for a few minutes, contemplating the possibilities of profiting from this unexpected encounter. “...What do you suggest?”
“Well, he obviously wants you to believe he’s a nobody. If you play along...”
“I’ll know his motives and perhaps also his weakness. Maybe even some dirty secrets we can blackmail the Russians with.”
Yoh nodded. “As long as you stay ahead of his game.” It was the catch and also the risk factor. “If you look at the file you’ll see his way of conducting business in the past. The man will make you pay for the bullet he shoots you with, if you let him.”
Fei Long smiled as he placed the file on the table and seated himself back down on the same armchair, only this time his expression resembled much of the Russian’s. “So it seems. Any weaknesses I should know about?”
“He does have a reputation,” Yoh replied. “The man seems to have no rules and his sense of adventure often leads to him taking unnecessary risks. He’s also been known to make decisions based on his moods.”
A sense of adventure. I can see that, Fei Long smirked as he remembered the man’s reaction to the knife at his throat. “Except what you call weaknesses, I find them to be his strongest defense.”
“Exactly,” Yoh agreed. It was a double edged sword and any way one looks at it, Mikhail Arbatov was a dangerous man. “How do you control someone who has no rules and changes his mind according to his moods?”
Fei Long peeked through his long, thick lashes and smiled. “It is his mood one need to control to gain a better hand.”
People are easy to control when they’re emotionally vulnerable. He had personally learned that lesson the hard way and swore to himself it would not happen again.
So you want to play games with me, Mikhail Arbatov. Let’s see what you’re made of.
****
(The unfinished spy file and cover are being colored and brought to life by the amazing good_chaser)