Chapter Text
Oh, come on, it's too long. I can't pronounce it. I'll call you Akshaya—it's beautiful. Come with me, let's talk inside about the match, hmm?" Cassian looked at him with a smile, then turned to his guards. "We're friends, don't worry."
"You can't touch Kunwar Shah like that," a guard said.
"But we're friends. Just like this—lady, nice to meet you." Cassian extended his hand to her. She looked at him, then joined her hands. "Hello."
"Oh, hello." Cassian bowed lightly. He tilted his head. "By the way, Akshaya, who's she? Your friend or sister?"
"Kunwari Shah—Kunwar Shah's fiancée. Move your hand, kid," the guard warned him.Cassian’s grip tightened on Rudrakshaya’s shoulder.
"Leave it. I need to talk to him. I'm coming." Rudrakshaya turned to the girl. "Take her inside. I'm coming, Kunwari Shah. Just in ten minutes."
The girl nodded with a smile. Still, Cassian's hand remained on his shoulder, and he took him inside.
While taking him inside, Cassian texted someone and kept his phone back in his pocket. The moment he arrived out of people's sight, he grabbed Rudrakshaya's wrist and dragged him inside forcefully.
"Let go of my hand, you asshole!"
Cassian ignored him, dragging him inside. With one hand, he took off his necktie.
As he entered the room, he pushed Rudrakshaya onto the sofa. Rudrakshaya's head landed on the armrest, one leg down, one on the sofa. Cassian placed one hand on the armrest near Rudrakshaya's head, then his knee in the space between Rudrakshaya's legs.
He cupped his neck from behind and pulled him up. "So you're already engaged, huh?"
"Excuse me?"
"I'm asking something—answer me. When did you get engaged with that girl?" Cassian's eyes landed on Rudrakshaya's hand. He held it and looked at the ring he was wearing. He lifted his hand gently. "Take off that ring."
"You fucking motherfucker why people like you are born. Your compensation—I already sent it to you. My team will fight with Spain, and you can choose yours. I don't care which one you'll choose."
"You have so much attitude, Akshaya."
"RUDRAKSHAYA."
"Nah, I'll call you what I want." Cassian tilted his head, then looked at a table. Four huge plates kept covered with red velvet cloths. He let go of Rudrakshaya, then uncovered the plates. Three plates were full of cash—Indian currency. One plate was full of gold bars.
"What is this?"
"Your compensation. You can take what you want."
Rudrakshaya took his steps toward the door and held the doorknob. Cassian clenched his teeth, then threw the plates on the floor. The sound behind Rudrakshaya made his body flinch.
He tightened his grip on the doorknob and opened it to go outside in a rush, but Cassian shut the door with his palm. "Turn your face here."
He released his pheromones slowly. Rudrakshaya tightened his grip on the doorknob, still refusing to turn to Cassian. He swallowed hard, then turned his face in a normal way, trying to hide his fear.
Cassian held his hand, took off his ring, and threw it on the floor. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"
Now Cassian placed his foot on the ring. Rudrakshaya's legs were getting numb—how he was handling the anger of an Enigma, only he knew. His legs were trembling. He couldn't stand anymore. As he was about to fall, he grabbed Cassian's coat. "Control your pheromones, you bastard."
Rudrakshaya started coughing as he felt it hard to breathe. He clenched Cassian's coat tightly. Cassian wrapped his hand around Rudrakshaya's waist and lifted him up, pinning him gently against the door. He ran his hand down Rudrakshaya's thigh, slowly, slowly, to his anklet kada.
"It looks so beautiful on you. Today you're wearing them in both feet, gold in both ears. What a beautiful Indian man you are, you know."
Cassian ran his lips along the sharp line of Rudrakshaya’s jaw. “It’s my first time seeing an Indian man in my life,” he murmured. “Or maybe I’ve just gotten addicted to you. You’re trying to drag my reputation into the ground.
Do you have any idea how much money I spent on those athletes? It’s already fixed that the German team will play the Indian team, isn’t it?”
“I gave you the money. Take it and leave, you fucking kid.”
“Kid?” Rudrakshaya spat. “How old are you, since you’re calling me a kid?”
“Four years older than you, bastard.”
Rudrakshaya clenched his teeth and grabbed Cassian’s collar. “Let me go, bastard. I’m engaged. You mentally sick enigma.”
“I don’t care.” Cassian’s gaze dropped to his lips, then rose to his eyes. “Now I’m interested in older men who are already engaged.”
He leaned down and brushed his lips along Rudrakshaya’s neck. A shiver shot through Rudrakshaya’s body against his will, his fingers tightening on Cassian’s coat.
“Let me go, bastard, I’ll—”
The words died in his throat when Cassian’s teeth sank into the skin of his neck. “Bas—” Rudrakshaya gasped, fists clenching in Cassian’s shoulders. Cassian’s hand slid up, fingers at his throat as he tugged open the first button of his kurta.
With all the strength he had, Rudrakshaya shoved him away. Cassian stumbled back, and Rudrakshaya lost his balance too, hitting the floor with his palms. He looked up; Cassian’s shoes were already stepping toward him.
Rudrakshaya forced himself to his feet, legs trembling. He raised his hand and slapped Cassian across the face. Cassian’s head snapped to the side. As he turned back, Rudrakshaya hit him again with the back of his hand.
“What’s your problem, you motherfucker? I’m engaged. That girl is waiting for me outside. You disgus....”
Cassian grabbed his arm and yanked him close. Rudrakshaya glared at him, eyes blazing. “Cheating, flirting with others—maybe that’s normal in your fucking culture,” he hissed. “Not in mine. Your behavior shows exactly how your parents raised you.”
“Shut up. Don’t drag my family into this.”
“You shut up, kid.”
Cassian’s jaw flexed. He tightened his grip on Rudrakshaya’s arm and pulled him down with him onto the sofa. “Shut your mouth.”
“I’m not surprised,” Rudrakshaya shot back, breathing hard. “A twenty-year-old kid throwing a tantrum.”
Cassian’s teeth ground together. He cupped Rudrakshaya’s face and crushed their mouths together. His thumb stroked over Rudrakshaya’s cheek in a mockery of gentleness as Rudrakshaya struggled, pushing against his chest with all his strength. Cassian only wrapped his arms tighter around him.
“Open your mouth, Akshaya,” Cassian whispered against his lips.
“Stop it… Cassian…”
Tears started spilling down Rudrakshaya’s cheeks within two minutes. The fight left his body all at once, his breath catching as Cassian finally seemed to come back to his senses.
Cassian froze, staring at the tears tracking down his face. His expression shifted. He reached up, slid a hand to the back of Rudrakshaya’s head, and gently pulled him forward until Rudrakshaya’s forehead rested against his shoulder.
“Hey, Akshaya…” Cassian’s voice dropped, softer now. He adjusted their position, easing them both down so they were sitting properly on the sofa, Rudrakshaya ending up in his lap. Cassian wrapped his arms around him more carefully this time, holding him tight—but not forceful.
“Hey, don’t… I was just—”Rudrakshaya broke completely, sobs shaking his shoulders as he clung to Cassian’s neck, burying his face against him.
“Hey…” Cassian cupped his face, thumbs brushing at the wetness on his cheeks. “I was just angry. I… I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.
”He pulled him back into his chest, hugging him firmly.
“Don’t cry,” Cassian whispered into his hair. “I won’t do it again. I promise.”
__
Outside, Aziel was leaning close, whispering into Soren’s ear.
Soren lifted his head and looked at him—not with warmth, but with a cold, steady glare.
“So you came here just to make weird jokes like this?”
Aziel’s expression hardened into seriousness. He set his hand over Soren’s on the arm of the chair. The moment their skin touched, Ilian’s fingers closed around Soren’s wrist from the other side.
Soren flinched. Aziel, blocked by Soren’s body and the chair, couldn’t see Ilian’s hand.
“Listen, Soren,” Aziel said quietly. “I’m not joking. Why would I come to you in broad daylight just to make a joke?”
Soren’s face stayed turned toward Aziel, but his focus flicked downward, to where Ilian’s fingers slowly slid between his, locking their hands together.
“Are you listening to what happened?”
Soren shook his head once. “Nothing.”
“I’m telling you—a dead enigma is messing with me, and I’m not joking.” Aziel’s jaw tensed. “He hit me. My nightmares are getting worse.”
“Nightmares?”
“Yeah. Not dreams—nightmares. Now I only see blood, dead bodies, a man stabbing himself in the chest—blah, blah, blah…” He trailed off, frustration leaking into his voice.
“Aziel,” Soren murmured.
“Soren, I know I always joke, but I’m not this time.” Aziel leaned in closer.
“Can you ask that boy who gave you that bracelet if he has any kind of device, or glasses, or lenses—something that could let me see him? Whoever the hell he is.”
“Don’t.” Soren’s voice dropped. He leaned close enough that only Aziel could hear. “And lower your voice. If you’re talking to a real dead enigma, keep it secret.”
Aziel blinked. “Why?”
“A dead enigma can give people their lives back,” Soren whispered.
“What?” Aziel stared at him.
“Yeah. I don’t know where he came from, but it’s not good to tell anyone. Do you understand?”
“Yeah. Got it. Then how am I supposed to…?”
“If he doesn’t want to tell you, respect his decision,” Soren said softly. “But, Aziel… mostly enigma always dies after their partner.”
“He’s here for someone,”
“I want to see him. You can’t imagine what I feel—I can’t even explain it. He’s so powerful, Soren. I want to see his partner. He must be alive. That’s why he’s here.”
As Aziel leaned closer to Soren, Ilian's grip tightened around Soren's hand on the other side of the chair. His fingers dug into Soren's knuckles, and the strain was clearly showing on his face.
Aziel noticed and cupped his face with one hand. "Why are you sweating? Do you have a fever?"
Ilian's grip tightened even more—now he was actually hurting Soren's hand.
"No, no, I'm fine. Just the weather."
Aziel checked his forehead, then his wrist.
"Aziel, you should go. I'll come see you this evening."
"Hmm, evening? I'm going somewhere. I'll call you when I'm free."
"Yeah, that sounds great. I have a podcast today too. I'm quite busy."
"Podcast?"
"It's just a normal podcast, Aziel. It's okay."
Aziel nodded and leaned back in his chair. He turned his head—Emil was standing near Tae, who was sitting down. Emil held a drink in his hand. The moment Aziel spotted him, he slid his glasses down and gave him a smirk.
Emil's eyes widened. He glanced at Tae, then quickly lifted one side of his long coat, draped it over himself, and sat beside Tae—completely hidden.
Tae looked at him with a smile. "What happened?"
Emil leaned forward slightly, straw still in his mouth, and shook his head. "I'm feeling cold."
Tae wrapped his arm around him and pulled him closer, his hand resting on Emil's shoulder.
Emil leaned forward and peeked out. Aziel was still looking at him. He immediately leaned back.
"Hey, Soren, Let me say hello to that brat. I haven't scared him in a while."
"Who?"
"Emil. He's sitting behind that man."
"Shut up, Aziel."
"Just once, Soren."
Soren turned to him with a glare.
"Fine, I'm going," Aziel said with a grin.