can you take it? [private]

[munechika]

 

Guiren swipes his tongue across his upper lip, and the metallic tang of blood draws his eyes downwards. He drags the back of his hand across his nose for it to come away red. He'll have to clean himself up later. For the moment, he settles for pinching the bridge of his nose to stay the bleeding.

 

Drug trafficking is the group's primary source of income. Addicts are one of the easiest clientele one can manage; provide them a fix and they'll pay up one way or another. If they don't, they can suffer the withdrawals on their own. But of course, the more expansive a network the more likely it is there are holes--dealers trying to cheat the system and give themselves a bigger cut, buyers bargaining with more than money, rings that think they're too small for the higher ups to notice them. But they all forget that the mafia is one big family; word gets around quickly.

 

There's a divide in their group of loyalty however. Whispered secrets and bits of information trickle back to Guiren more often than Mr. Wolf, as if they're reluctant to accept the Austrian as their new leader. Total insubordination isn't a threat as of yet, but just as he's failed to gain some of his subordinates' trust, Mr. Wolf has yet to achieve Guiren's approval as well. While others' qualms may lie with his bloodline, distinctively without a drop of Kang, Guiren is more concerned with his competence.

 

That's why he fanned an ember to birth a flame. One can't monitor every minor misdemeanor committed by its members, but once a line is crossed intervention is necessary. Guiren may have simply implied that crossing such a line wouldn't result in consequence, and pulling a string here or there to back up his words was all in turn to keep his sincerity believable. A separate monopoly of their trade had been birthed, and Mr. Wolf himself had been suggested to intervene.

 

And he'd done so, although Guiren can't say his opinion of the man has been swayed farther one way than the other.

 

"Pity."

 

"I trust you haven't sustained severe injuries, sir?" Guiren is someone of meticulous planning and forethought; any evidence of his involvement is null and the skill of keeping his mind focused on innocuous topics is a new skill he'd had to adapt for this particular man. But nonetheless, a strong intuition is all one would need to discern his hand in the matters. Mr Wolf's response to that too is yet another way Guiren will gauge how fit he is to lead them.

 

He isn't sure whether he hopes for his success or failure.

[Raychu]

 

 

It wasn't like he was completely oblivious to what happened around him. Kurtis just didn't care. He was out for him and himself only, not for anyone else. It was almost disappointing that the fight was easier than he hoped for. He was the kind of guy to take on a challenge, gamble with death each and every day, sadly, it never seemed to approach the fatal game he so desperately wanted. This didn't mean he didn't value his life either, he just happened to be one of those risk takers, acting as if he was at the tip top of the world. Nothing below him could or would bring him down, nothing was big enough to overthrow him. The day that he is taken down will be the day he is laid in a coffin to rest. He'll die with his spot on the throne, only then can it be taken from him.

 

 

The only reason he stands so high and mighty wasn't because he was strong, in fact, he was rather weak and dependent on others. However, being born with telepathy changed him a lot. He could've grown into a more patient and thoughtful person, perhaps he would be the guy to put others first. It never went that way, he held the golden gift, the ability to read minds, this made it nearly impossible to strike him down. He could shoot first before one's hand even went to grab the gun. Though he wasn't as powerful as any God, he was still a force to be reckoned. Weak or strong, he always had the upper hand, as if he was playing a game of chess, one that he would inevitably win each time. Pieces were taken, pawns were sacrificed. The only goal to was to take the king, no matter what was taken. Reach checkmate.

 

 

It was hard for Kurtis to care about many things. Everything would disintegrate, including himself, making him live his life to the fullest, even if many did not approve of how he lived. He lived without regrets, enjoyed the stupid things, and shut out the unwanted words and consequences. He could be scolded by many for being so reckless, that did not mean he would easily bend. It was too late to mold him to act like a proper gentlemen now, his arrogance had already filled up any opening of change. He knew this pertained to the mafia, one he was supposed to be leading. Well, he was leading them, nothing drastic had taken charge yet, that didn't mean they weren't preparing to throw him out. He did waltz right in, uninvited, after all. Not many were happy to see him take out the previous mob boss, only to insist on filling his position.

 

The one who seemed to despise him the most was Guiren, constantly giving him hassles to fix, or games to play. Though he should be thankful for the attention, on days like these, he wasn't too fond of the guy constantly harping on him in silence. Kurtis was the kind of guy that if someone wanted to say something, they should say it straight to his face. Beating around the bush or continuing in the quiet was the most annoying thing someone could do. This is what tempted him to constantly tease his right hand man. If Guiren felt a need to watch over him like a child, then Kurtis would behave like one. To him, it was one of the greatest ideas he’s had, even though it really was miniscule to the big picture.

 

It was like he kept swatting down a bug that wouldn't die. It was interesting when he let the games play out, so he must thank Guiren for that at the very least. Though, being thankful when he got harmed in the process didn't seem to make sense in his mind. Either way, he found these ridiculous incidents to be amusing in some way.

 

"If any at all. Unlike you, I'm not a bloody mess. It shows I can handle myself. Perhaps next time you should attempt to pick people who aren't so easily pushed down," his voice a silky purr. He wouldn't dare call Guiren out and say he was directly involved, he'd subtly hint at it. Even if he were to say that he had any part of it, it seemed futile, he could never use his telepathy to make the guy confess. Guiren was a truly interesting being, working his way around Kurtis so gracefully, it made him mad. He wanted to make the other have to constantly stop in his tracks in awe at the person he could be. To make him feel inferior to how high Kurtis did stand on the pedestal he made for himself.

 

"You are such an eager kitten. I wonder what other surprises you may bring me in the near future." Kurtis was excited to see what other presents he would be given. He was studying Guiren as much as he could, poking and prodding for attention, hoping to see something new each time he changed his answers and attitude.

 

How could he make this poor fool react? What could he do to cause those reactions? The entertainment awaited him.

[munechika]

 

If Guiren had to categorize his feelings for his boss, he probably wouldn't label them hatred. Disapproval, certainly. Irritation, definitely. Skepticism, oftentimes. He thinks antagonistic could fit if that were an emotion, but hatred means Guiren would rather him dead. Mr. Wolf has not invited that level of wrath as of yet.

 

For him to die would be more unfortunate for Guiren than him anyways. That would leave the group without a leader, and it's far too soon for them to go through that loss again. The order Mr. Wolf provides is more valuable than satisfying what petty urges Guiren holds, so for the moment Mr. Wolf's death is unideal. Instead the former heir strikes the happy medium: putting his boss in unfavorable situations he can probably get out of.

 

Unfortunately, Guiren himself has often found he's more talent in matter of diplomacy and negotiation. His combat skills could certainly be better, but it's still a blow to his pride to concede as such to the blond. "If I could hand pick your enemies, of course I would choose the easiest. It's our loss if our leader is inhibited." So he doesn't concede at all. "However I'm not at the luxury to do so, am I?" Is he not indeed.

 

It's two separate issues, being aware that Mr. Wolf is privy to his involvement and acting as such. Guiren doesn't consider himself an intimidating person, and he's more than willing to play at the demure attendant if it means dancing around his boss's silent accusations. "There will be no surprises, I take care to announce my arrival and departure. It lies solely on your shoulders if you continue to get caught off guard." It's as far from Mr. Wolf's actual point as Guiren can get. Which is exactly what he'd been aiming for.

 

"Now if my appearance is so unsightly, allow me to clean myself to meet your standard." Coyness aside, he can feel the blood caking his skin and can only imagine how horrid he actually looks.

[Raychu]

[/

 

Kurtis gave a condescending smirk as he lightly laughed. He knew where Guiren stood compared to him, his instinct topped these petty games they played, his knowledge was far over what he made it out to be. He was quite capable if given the opportunity to show the kind of man he really was, he also was a thoughtless fool trying to create entertainment wherever he went. His confidence coated his mind, it made him believe that he was something that came close to an idea of a god. Telepathy sugar coated how weak he really was. There were days he was very well aware he depended on it to live, what was he supposed to do if he lived without it? Impossible. That'd be in another universe, one where he didn't exist. Without telepathy, even he was able to admit, he was nothing.

 

"The weakest ones seemed to have taken you out. Though it's not a loss for us, it's a loss for you, on a personal line," his tone becoming patronizing. He had two favorite things in this world, games that he would always win, and pushing for people's reactions. He would even take being beaten if he got a good emotion to rise up out of someone. It would be a true achievement if Kurtis could pull something out of his right hand man. Though Guiren wasn't unemotional, he never gave the true response that the blond was hoping for. Which was very disappointing to him. Gurien was no fun when he kept up this act.

 

Caught off his guard? That was an absurd thing, even for Guiren to say. Kurtis would never be caught off guard. He wasn't weary to always be alert, but he wasn't completely clueless either. He was very prepared for any type of attack to occur. In the end, he wasn't the one who was covered in his own blood from an injury. If Kurtis really wanted to, he could continue to add salt to that wound if he wanted to prod at Guiren more than he usually does. His ego was stabbed by that comment, now he needed to think of someway to stab the other in the exact same way.

 

"Well, though the image of blood on you isn't my taste, unsightly is a harsh word to use against yourself. Is it not? Well, it's not my concern, you'll never truly meet my standard." Kurtis wasn't the one who got hit, he wasn't the one who let the goons lay a hand of him, and he surely wasn't the one who failed to hide his participation in this little incident. Though, if he were to try and say it again, it was obvious Guiren would only play more mind games by steering the direction of their conversation away from the truth. He didn't want to bother with something so pointless. Dwelling on one thing could cause his hairs to turn white. He'd rather not focus on it.

 

"It's a pity you got injured. Too bad you don't have the ability to read minds, that could've prevented this disgusting look you have." His fingers grazed under Guiren's chin, forcing his right hand man to look at him. His face turned into a stoic stare at the repulsive sight of the blood. "Though, the sight of the blood seems to suit you perfectly."

[munechika]

 

"Taken him out"...? Guiren is tempted to remark how he is clearly not dead, albeit mildly injured, but instead he settles for raising an eyebrow. Mr. Wolf has so far shown to be a man possessed by ego and pride, it takes very little to draw his ire and Guiren supposes irritation is an appropriate look on his boss for such an odd comment. He'd best drag one out of the blond through subtle defiance than cheekiness.

 

It's almost comical though, how Guiren thinks he could echo his boss's words. Guiren will never meet his standards supposedly, but Mr. Wolf has yet to show he meets Guiren's standards either. The oddest bit is that he doesn't believe either of them are striving to do so in the first place, but they will relish sharing each other's inadequacies. Counterproductive, and yet Guiren engages nonetheless. "Harsh, but not untrue. I find it useless to be soft on myself." And he could leave it at that, he could let bits and pieces of condescension come and go in the breeze.

 

Except he takes a leap of faith. For what, he's not certain, but it leads to him meeting his superior's gaze and saying, "And as it stands, nor you mine." An invisible standard neither of them know, except that they haven't reached it. Guiren wonders who will make it first.

 

He's poised to leave, retreat to a washroom and run water over his face to cleanse it of blood and dirt and combat, if not for the stubborn hand that bids him to stay. One impassive face stares at another, and Guiren focuses directly on Mr. Wolf's eyes. "I've gotten by without thus far, and will continue to do so." And for the first time, his lips crack into a smile. "But sir, have you given me a compliment?"

 

Oh how smiles can be soft. Oh how smiles can be hard and sharp edged, cutting with words.

[Raychu]

[/

 

A compliment? Did he really give Guiren something like that? He doubted it, Kurtis wasn't the type to compliment many. Especially not someone like the man in front of him. This had nothing to do with his view of the world either. He obviously did it to avoid giving the satisfaction that he's getting now. The smile caused what was supposed to be a neutral face, fall into a light frown. The frown didn't last long however, he quickly replaced it with his playful smirk, forcing himself to keep it up. He didn't like being caught off guard like this, then it felt like he was having someone attempt to put him in his place. That would never happen under his control, which was being stripped from being taken aback. Being told he gave a compliment, Kurtis knew he couldn't just deny it outright, it wasn't inaccurate.

 

"Ah, is that how you see it? As a compliment? Are you sure there wasn't an underlying insult to my words?" Kurtis gave a lighthearted chuckle, though his mood wasn't matching up. He felt a bit threatened having Guiren catch him so unprepared for his words. If anything, Kurtis knew he needed to be more on guard around the man who planned this little messes. At the same time, he's making small mistakes like compliments. Instead of finding it frustrating, he was enjoying the little source of entertainment the other was providing him. The toll of being so cocky and arrogant didn't weigh on him one bit, which is why he forced his attitude on Guiren, knowing the other didn't appreciate it much. Poor thing, being stuck as his right hand man, having his spot ripped out from under him, this was all for Kurtis's amusement too. "If that's what makes you feel good, then so be it. I didn't know you were so simple to please. Do I just need to flatter you with more compliments? I can if that's what you desire..."

 

Kurtis's thumb lightly ran over Guiren's bottom lip as his smile widened. It wasn't completely in his nature to be flirtatious with the guy who was challenging him so often by putting him in new situations. That didn't mean he couldn't be, the blond easily changed his attitude in seconds. How he would approach Guiren, maybe this new stance might get something more than that smile that was an insult to him. Change happened with him all the time. The one thing that continued to stay consistent was his how prideful he was, which is probably why it was so hard for him to actually keep people around. Who wanted to stick around someone who was so conceited? Not many could handle his, what he believed to be, a passionate personality. Many did not agree with that description, but what did he care? He didn't. They just didn't see what made him so good, it was their loss, their blindness to someone that was truly magnificent.

 

"You know, your attitude has become kind of annoying, almost like a bee that's always buzzing. You should fix it before I have to take action. We wouldn't want that now would we, Guiren?" The name like daggers cutting into his tongue. This was a baseless threat, he wouldn't dare touch the position of a previous heir, he already had enough problems to work with in the mafia itself. Doing something so drastic like throwing out his minion because of foul attitude could result in the rest of the mafia trying to throw him out. He didn't want that yet, he hadn't had his fair share of fun yet. He wanted to play around a little longer, do something to spark a fire, just a little bit more was all he needed. Kurtis hoped that the spark was going to do something to Guiren in the end. Maybe he'd finally give a satisfactory response to an odd situation, not what he usually does. That's too boring. He needed excitement, a thrill, his life depended on a rush to keep him going.

 

Kurtis couldn't comprehend how people could live the same life all the time. He needed to constantly be fed something new to keep motivated. That was supposed to be Guiren, well, even he's not giving much to work with.

[munechika]

 

Awareness is, at times, precisely why one would feign ignorance. Irony, they would call it. But Mr. Wolf's finger finds Guiren's lip, and the latter falls into a neutral line.

 

"If I desire anything," his moving lips brush the hand at his face, "it wouldn't be from you." Truthfully there isn't much Guiren desires of anyone, but a new plan skirts the edges of his mind. A new test that doesn't involve weeks of planning and unnecessary henchmen and bloodshed.

 

He wants to see how Mr. Wolf would handle insubordination. Resistance. How far will his discipline go, and perhaps the most important of all: how high in the hierarchy the boss places him.

 

They're already close, but Guiren dares to cross the line of respectful distance in the small centimeter of an advance. His eyes meet Mr. Wolf's, and he parses his words as if each one would slice. "I don't know, sir. I fail to register a threat unless it's detailed clearly what will happen to me." Talking back, questioning, taunting, goading, daring, all unacceptable behavior that Guiren intends to exhibit to the fullest.

 

"What will you do, Kurtis," his eyelids fall and green are reduced to slits, "if I don't want to fix it?"

[Raychu]

 

"Oh?" Nothing more was came out than his surprised little oh, not expecting the other to suddenly speak up like he owned the place. That was not okay, not at all. He was caught of guard once again, just by a bit of resistance, he needed to remain in a cool and composed position. Guiren needed to stop getting him confused, he didn't look like the superior person in the room. Kurtis was supposed to the alpha, Guiren the omega. He shouldn't be letting himself get tricked into this.

 

"Oh no, did it sound like a threat? It was supposed to be a warning, not a threat." He hissed in a pleasant tone. This was fun for him, dealing with people, putting them in their place. Now he we in his element, fighting was one thing, talking, that was another. He could fight when it was his only option. Kurtis had the ability to be able to talk himself out of any situation without a problem. "Plus, if I were to threaten the previous heir, I wouldn't make it detailed, is want it to be a surprise. Giving it all away is no fun."

 

He gave a light pout, only to laugh softly. How does one keep serious in a time of playing? He would never understand how people remained emotionless and boring, kind of like his little annoying rat. He had no choice but to watch Guiren and make sure he wouldn't cause anymore trouble than what the blond could take. "You don't want to fix an attitude problem? This is why you are disliked by people. You are so disrespectful." His tone was no longer playful. It was serious, perhaps for the first time in his life. He didn't like these mind games the other was attempting to play. That was his job, not this little pesky bug, he needed to get in his place soon before Kurtis snapped.

 

A sweet touch on the lips turned into a featherlight stroke on his subordinate's cheek. No emotion in his face, that was something new for a change. He just simply stared, his golden eyes stuck looking at those green orbs, or what was left of them. He wanted to shove his face in the dirt, he was slightly upset, why did the other have to try and start a war between them? They could have been friends, Guiren just did too many things to have something as nice as friendship. He didn't deserve Kurtis as a friend.

 

The hand stopped stroking Guiren's cheek, only to grab his jaw, holding it tightly as he finally spoke, clearing the ice cold air around them. "Fix it. I can't touch you yet, I still need you here. If you don't fix it, I'll learn to bend my own rules. Do you understand?"

 

Letting go, Kurtis gave a playful smile once more, that twinkle in his eye was returning. He roughly ruffled the other's hair as his eyes narrowed slightly, wondering what the other would do. Before he had a chance to do anything, he cleared his throat, speaking once more. "Go clean yourself up. I don't want to look at that disgusting blood on your face anymore. It soils such a nice looking face. Too bad it belongs to someone who's a prick."

[munechika]

 

"Fair," is all Guiren has to say. Maybe it would be more thrilling to not know what happens to him. Or maybe Mr. Wolf doesn't know what he'll do. Guiren doesn't imagine him admitting as such even if he asks, so he supposes it's a topic for another day and another time. He has to raise an eyebrow at the idea that he's disliked, because surely any discontent stems from his occupation rather than his attitude (a luxury reserved for his one and only superior), but it's not worthy of a comment.

 

Then light and flirty teasing turns cold and serious in a heartbeat, and Guiren's jaw is fixed in place. His defiance is marred by a flash of surprise, but his composure is too solid to be upset by something so minor. Besides, there's something satisfying about his boss telling him he needs him. Nothing less than what Guiren himself had expected, but it's validating to hear the blond admit it. Relieving to know he's not stupid enough to pick the former heir off just yet.

 

And the tension dissipates once more, leaving Guiren free to give a demure, "Yes, sir."

 

This is the moment he should excuse himself. This is the moment he retires to his room for rest and finally gets rid of the disgusting feeling of blood on his skin. Mr. Wolf's hand is in his hair, and he's reminded his boss truly is an anomaly before he concludes he will not do anything he's supposed to.

 

The first thing out of him is a laugh. He actually called him a prick, how direct! And he even admitted his face was nice looking, Guiren feels honored to the highest degree. He can't even bring himself to cover his mouth, only ducking his head in a slight bow while his laughter subsides.

 

"Of course, as you wish," he gets out once words don't dissolve into snorts. But instead of stepping backwards Guiren reaches forward and with a handful of Mr. Wolf's jacket, does as his boss commanded and cleans himself up. He may have only succeeded in smudging the red farther across his skin, but he feels that will be the least of his concerns soon.

 

"Can you stand to look at me now? Or must I clean myself more?" His smile is polite, eyes bright and inquisitive, all to juxtapose his greatest act of defiance as he shatters the invisible barrier between superior and subordinate.

[Raychu]

 

Kurtis didn't like the sound of the laughter, however he didn't comment on it. Whatever made the other so giggly wasn't comprehended by him. Maybe it was the fact he insulted him while also complimenting him. The blond didn't understand why that would be laughable. He didn't see it as such. Leaving it be, he kind of sighed at the laughter. He thought if Guiren were to ever laugh like this, it would be in a more interesting situation, instead it's in the most boring one there could potentially be. Why did the other have to be so cheeky with him? He didn't need this all the time.

 

What happened next, he was ready to smack him. His jacket was used as a napkin to wipe off blood. He thing that runs through humans. He was fuming now, his eyebrow twitching as he tried to keep himself calm. This was no problem. A jacket can be washed. A jacket can be washed. He had to keep repeating that in his head from making more blood come out of Guiren. Kurtis had to be there more mature one in the situation. He knew what his subordinate was like, this wasn't a surprise. His face softened as he convinced himself that it was a predictable move. He shouldn't expect anymore of the vermin than he already did. That was all. This little behavioral problem with him would be fixed in no time at all. Just as long as he could keep cool and composed no matter what he was put through.

 

A gentle, teasing hand ran through the green hair as he gripped it tightly, roughly yanking Guiren's head back. A sweet smile wa son his face as he did so. Nothing felt better than being able to treat the other so roughly when he did bad. It was as if he was punishing a dog for doing wrong. His Guiren was a pet to him, one that needs more training to get him under control. "You seemed to have missed a lot. Let me clean it for you," he gave a deep purr. He leaned into the face, licking at the blood, leaving long trails of his saliva before wiping it off with the cuff of his jacket. It was exhilarating for him to know that the other had his saliva on him, even if he didn't directly spit on him. It gave Kurtis a power.

 

When he had wiped the blood of Guiren's face, he stopped, the taste of the iron still on his tongue. Yanking the hair in his hand, he snickered. "Did you listen to nothing I said? If you continue with this, I will bend my own rules if I absolutely need to. You aren't completely untouchable." his words like knives as he frowned. This was definitely not okay. A defiant subordinate meant other would possibly follow, he didn't want to have to deal with an uproar among the mafia.

 

Letting the hair go, Kurtis kept a very close eye as he removed his jacket, dropping it to the floor. He undid his tie, slipping it off. Gently he wrapped it around his subordinate's neck, roughly pulling him closer, completely shattering their positions. His eyebrows furrowed as he clenched his teeth. This little thing just ruined a good jacket of his. "That was a fifty dollar jacket Guiren, if you ever do that again, your skin is going to become my new jacket. Do you understand?" Kurtis kept him close with the tie as he studied his face. He had gotten all of the blood off, lucky for his pet. He could've attempted something harmful, he should be happy his boss was so forgiving towards bad behavior.

[munechika]

 

Guiren doesn't quite know what he expects. Anger, probably--explosive or not was debatable. The unpredictability of his boss was partially why he was even doing this though, to gauge his reactions and assess them for himself. That seemed to slip his mind for a moment; he's having far too much fun with this.

 

Mr. Wolf's fingers card through his hair, and of course Guiren offers no resistance. His breath hitches and he can't stop himself from wincing when his head is jerked back and his roots are yanked with it. He's getting somewhere, Mr. Wolf is showing him more and more how he'll handle a defiant subordinate, and while he'd been caught off guard, Guiren wouldn't say this is outside his scope of perception.

 

His boss leaning forward and licking the blood of his face, however, entirely is.

 

Green eyes blink, wide and surprised, and shock is slowly replaced with repulsion. Saliva all over his face is not much better than blood, perhaps even more disgusting because it isn't his. The jacket that comes up to wipe it off is another dash of irony, even if it does little to subside his newfound urge to wash his face properly.

 

"Thank you, sir," he bites out through gritted teeth, the pressure on his scalp making it difficult to keep a perfect composure. Although I don't think I'm touchable yet either, he adds silently in his head. It's too early to off him, too dangerous, and Guiren knows that both he and Mr. Wolf are aware of this. But the man keeps silent.

 

(He wonders, briefly, if Mr. Wolf is listening to his thoughts at this very moment.)

 

As his hair is released, Guiren lets out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. It's only a temporary respite however, and his eyes follow the discarded jacket and the loosened tie all until it's around his neck and suddenly he's nose-to-nose with his superior.

 

"Completely. I'll spare your clothes in the future." he says with his mouth.

 

"This is lighter discipline than I expected, he remarks to himself.

[Raychu]

 

"Lighter discipline? Not touchable? You sure have a terrible attitude today. You are no better than a child, I hate children and their bad behaviors," Kurtis snapped, keeping a tight hold of the necktie. He always read his thoughts, he always tried to get something out of him, something useful to his plots. This was infuriating. He knew very well he was being tested for the other to study, he was tired of it. Couldn't he be given a break for one day? Just one day only.

 

Slipping the tie off, he dropped it to the floor. Grabbing Guiren's shirt collar instead. He opened his mouth to say something, to spite his supposed to be obedient dog, only to silence himself. Anger management, he might need to invest that into his life at the moment. His hairs were going to start going grey at this rate, he was being put into too many tests. He couldn't handle so much, not this, surely. Holding a strong face couldn't last forever.

 

"Alright. This is just fine, my little pet. No worries at all, your playtime needs to be over. Just for a little while. I have important matters to attend to, why must you cause such a fuss?" His voice became soft and sweet, that playfulness returning, covering up his original snap. He couldn't give into him, he just needed to remain the top dog, that's it. Nothing more to it, he had so much to do, Guiren needed to stop getting in his way with such a petty attitude.

 

"I don't know what you want from me anymore. Stop being so confusing. Do you want a harsh punishment? Do you prefer I beat your face into a pulp? I can't kill you, doesn't mean severely injuring you isn't option," he threatened, letting his collar go as he took a few steps back. There was a distance that needed to be created at this moment. He could've done something disgusting again to spite him, like spitting on his face. Instead, he kept his cool, letting the anger manifested inside, go. Giving a soft smile as he studied the other. "I'm doing the best I can, I really am."

 

Kurtis could handle any situation thrown at him. Fights, disobedience, anything. Anything Guiren could offer, he would willingly take and turn it around on him, if at all possible. He was done playing silly games for the other's amusement, it was his turn to start having him become the amusement. They were very well aware he couldn't take out the previous heir, that didn't mean he couldn't injure him, just as long as he didn't die. No one would be enraged then, accidents happen. Accidents could be coincidental, they could also be very thought out, just like Guiren had been doing.

 

"Let's just call a truce for a day, how about it?"