Number XIII 2
TITLE: Number XIII
CHAPTER: Two
PAIRING: Sakurai x Aiba
RATING: PG13?
SUMMARY: “I am number thirteen,” A deep, almost musical voice rumbled, “And to you, that means death,”
Sho wrapped the thigh holster around the top of his leg tightly. He then secured his belt and shifted the holster that rested between his shoulder blades until it was comfortable. Then, he slipped his favourite gun into the holster on his hip on the right side, and his second gun on the left side. He put a dagger on each of his thighs, and his large hunting knife into the holster between his shoulder blades. Once he was sure all of his weapons were secure, he shrugged his leather trench coat on and put a few ninja throwing stars in the special pocket on the inside.
He looked once more at the picture of the couple that he was given the night before, staring at the man until his face was practically burned into his retinas. He then flipped the picture over to double check the address.
“Time to go,” He told himself, dropping the photo on the table and leaving his house, pulling his trilby hat on as he closed the door.
“Sho-chan, good evening!”
Sho jumped so high he though he might have banged his head on the ceiling. He quickly composed himself and glared at Aiba, who was obviously coming back from work.
“Don’t call me that!” He snarled, more angry at himself for not checking his surroundings properly.
“Where are you off to, then?” Aiba asked, ignoring Sho’s previous statement.
“Out,” Sho answered, walking down the hallway away from his neighbour.
“Are you mad at me cause I called you Sho-chan?”
“I’m mad because you’re following me,” Sho answered, heading down the stairs, Aiba close behind him.
“Okay, well I’ll leave you to it, then,” Aiba said cheerfully, “See you later, Sho-yan!”
Sho almost tripped and fell down the stairs. However, when he turned around, Aiba had already disappeared back to his apartment.
“He’s going to be the death of me,” Sho sighed, removing his hat to run his fingers through his hair. With a shake of his head, he placed the hat back onto his head and headed out of the building; if he didn’t get a move on, he was going to be late.
---
Aiba mooched around his apartment, feeling incredibly bored and restless. All he could think about was his new neighbour; Sho Thirteen.
“Aaaarrrrgh!” He yelled, screwing his eyes shut and grabbing his hair, “Why do I always manage to piss him off?!”
After a moment of self hatred and embarrassment, Aiba sighed and collapsed backwards onto his sofa.
“I don’t know what it is about him.. I just need his attention..” Aiba jumped to his feet with a shout, “I’m talking to myself again! God damn it!!”
---
Sho’s feet made almost no sound as he moved past the security guards into the mansions underground parking lot. He vaguely thought to himself that the owners of the house should invest in better security guards, as it was far too easy to deceive them. However, that thought quickly disappeared from his mind as he remembered that it wasn’t because they weren’t any good; it was that he was just much, much better than them.
As he had spent all afternoon remembering vital exits and entrances, Sho easily found the lift from the car park into the house. However, he went past it and chose to take the stairs instead; it was a lot safer. Once he was inside the house, he moved quickly passed the huge hall where the get together was happening.
Without being noticed, he took the stairs up to the next floor, and carefully looked for the doors that led to the balcony. Apparently, the hall in the mansion had used to be the host for plays and operas, so there were balconies where the rich and royal sat.
He shut himself into the balcony and propped the door shut with an old, dusty chair. He then crouched down with just his eyes showing above the fancy wall, and readied his gun.
The speeches still hadn’t started, so Sho’s mind began to wander. He tried to concentrate on his job, but all he could think of was his fair haired neighbour.
“See you later, Sho-yan!”
Sho had to clamp a hand over his mouth to stop himself from making noise as he remembered Aiba’s parting words.
“What the hell is wrong with me?!” He growled to himself, knowing that his cheeks had began to flush. After a few deep breaths, he calmed down; just as the lady of the house and her husband stepped onto the stage.
“Show time,” He said grimly, aiming his weapon towards the pair.
---
Aiba pulled on his coat and scarf as he left his house. He locked his door, slipped his keys into his pocket and pulled on his green mittens.
A lot of the staff at the café laughed at his mittens, but it was far too cold to go out without them; especially since it was night time.
The streets were fairly empty as he made his way towards the graveyard, and he was glad of it. His pictures always turned out prettier when there was no one around to distract him or get in the way.
Just as he reached the old iron gates, something white floated by Aiba’s face, catching his eye.
“Ah, it’s snowing,” He smiled, looking up at the sky as the flakes began to fall, swirling their way down to the floor, “I hope that Thirteen-san has a scarf,” He mumbled as he lifted his camera to his face, “I only saw that thin coat when he left,”
---
Sho kicked the door open as he limped as fast as he could out into the car park. The knife had only sliced his thigh, but it still hurt; and it had ruined his trousers. The owner of the knife, however, had ended up just like his employer - on the floor bleeding out from the hole in his neck.
The shot had been superb; as usual, and as promised, he had killed the man before the wife could start her speech. However, as soon as he had left the balcony, the guards had been shouting about how “Number Thirteen is here!” and had made escape rather difficult.
Sho blamed himself, because his mind was stuck on his stupid happy neighbour, and had not been as focussed as usual.
Sho skilfully ducked under the punch and sent his hunting knife sailing upwards into the man’s collarbone. It wouldn’t kill him, but it would keep him off of his back. He rolled to the side and behind a car when he heard the first gunshot, palming his own weapon.
There were ten men with guns searching for him, and he didn’t really favour his odds.
“Plan B it is, then,” He said grimly when he noticed the men spreading out by the only way out. Without a second thought, Sho wrapped his fingers around his wrist, and forced his elbow into the car’s window. As the alarm went crazy, he let himself into the car face first, pulling open the dashboard and hotwiring the car into starting.
The men continued to shoot at him as he sped out of the car park, but there was no way they would catch him; he would get out of the car a few miles down the road and make his own way back home from there.
The moment he stepped out of the car, Sho felt his phone buzzing in his pocket.
“Yes?”
“Number Thirteen,” A tinny female voice said, “Is it done?”
“Yes,” He replied, his feet crunching on the newly fallen snow. The footprints he was leaving behind were already getting filled by the snow fall, so he wasn’t worried about being followed.
“Good. The money is being transferred into your account as we speak. We will contact you with your next assignment in two weeks,” The woman disconnected and Sho put the phone back in his pocket with a sigh. He was starting to get sick of what he was doing for a living.
---
Aiba turned his camera off and slipped it back into his pocket. He had gotten some beautiful shots - as well as some spooky ones, and decided that it was time to go home; even though he wasn’t cold. His mittens made sure of that.
Aiba turned around to go home and almost screamed as the path out of the dark cemetery was suddenly blocked by a large black figure.
“Wh… Who are you?!” He said, his voice trembling more than he wanted to admit.
However, when the figure stepped under the dim street lamp, Aiba sighed in relief.
“Sho-yan, it’s just you!”
“D.. Don’t call me that,” Came the snappy reply, “What the hell are you doing in a cemetery in the middle of the night?”
“I could ask you the same question,” Aiba said, crossing his arms over his chest, “I was only taking pictures. What about you?”
Sho snorted but answered, “Hunting vampires,”
“Funny,” Aiba said sarcastically, even though a grin broke out on his face.
“I thought so,”
“Wait!” Aiba cried as Sho turned away and began to walk away from him, “Are you going home? We can go home together,”
“You have got to be kidding me,” Sho muttered as Aiba skipped up to him. However, the smile on the happy man’s face quickly turned into a frown as he got closer.
“What happened to your leg?” He asked, leaning forward to inspect the wound, “And why aren’t you wearing a scarf and gloves? You’re so cold!”
“Forgot them,” Sho lied, marching off without Aiba (Who easily caught up with him).
“What about your leg?”
“Got into a fight with one of the vampires I was after,” Sho said, speeding up.
“My, haven’t we got a sense of humour tonight?” Aiba grinned, also speeding up, “But that needs to be seen by a doctor,”
“It’s fine,” Sho said.
“No,” Aiba insisted, “Let me get you to a doctor-” Sho spun around at lightening speed and grabbed Aiba’s wrist before he could touch him.
“I said it’s fine,”
Aiba narrowed his eyes and jerked free of Sho’s grip, “Okay then,”
As Sho turned away and continued his journey home, Aiba skipped along behind him, “Then nurse Masaki will take care of you, instead,”
Sho almost tripped and fell, but Aiba ducked under his flailing arm and caught him, “No arguments? Good, back to my place it is, then!”
Sho’s mouth opened but he couldn’t find a decent objection to being taken care of.
Until he was in Aiba’s hallway.
“Okay sho-yan,” Aiba said once he had removed his winter clothing. He clapped his hands together and grinned cheekily, “Drop your trousers and let me get a look at you,”
********
TBC
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