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“This is unacceptable.” Daichi’s fist banged on the table. “Do you think our natural resources are worth so little that we’d accept this paltry deal?”
Sugawara crossed his arms. “Is your pride so rock-solid that you can’t see that we’re one of the few planets willing to help you?”
His face hardened. It was not an easy day to be a diplomat for Cornix-IV, who was still recovering from its civil war. The place was in pieces, but the oil-rich planet was Daichi’s home, and he would not do it a disservice.
Centimp—Sugawara’s planet—was doing far better. Though the planets were technically neighbors and had once been allies, the power had gone to the government’s head. They were stingy with aid, and every little request came with a month’s worth of bureaucratic paperwork.
The two planets were like night and day. Daichi’s homeland consisted of black soil and purple skies, clustered with small towns and friendly faces, exchanging smiles and cool drinks on warm evenings. Meanwhile Sugawara’s planet was made up of shades of gray, littered with skyscrapers and concrete sidewalks hidden under a blanket of continuously falling snow.
Daichi couldn’t stay on the offensive, or this would end sourly. “There has to be some wiggle room, Sugawara. Our people are dying, our infrastructure is crumbling. We need your help.”
Sugawara stared at the documents on the table, letting out a sigh. “Look. Centimp isn’t against helping. You know that. But we have our own problems to deal with, too. There has to be a compromise here.”
“Should we call in a mediator?”
He rolled his eyes. “You know that never works. It just leads to more paperwork. We’re solving this ourselves.”
“So you admit the paperwork is too much.”
Sugawara’s mouth twitched upwards. “I never said that.”
“Right. Well, if you’re not going to accept my proposal, then we’d better draw up a new one. Do you have a map?”
“Of course I have a map.”
He raised an eyebrow as Sugawara spread it across the table. “You know, this could take all night.”
“Bring it on.”
Normally, this sort of meeting would require a whole team of diplomats. But Cornix-IV’s government was stretched so thin that Daichi was the only one they could entrust the task to. And Centimp’s protocol required that there was a 1:1 ratio of diplomats in a given meeting; one Centimon per foreign diplomat.
There had been many nights like this one over the past year, where the two of them were alone. Of course, aides would come in and bring things as needed, but aside from those few interruptions, they would spend hours negotiating.
There were times when Daichi did not even need to continue pushing Sugawara’s buttons. It seemed that the two of them sometimes argued for argument’s sake, to push the limits of each other’s intellect.
Never mind if their fingers brushed over a document. That buzzing feeling in Daichi’s fingers was just static electricity. And if he got distracted by the way Sugawara’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he gulped down coffee, then it was because Sugawara managed to be annoying even while drinking.
They were three hours deep when Sugawara reached for the coffee pot, only to find it empty. “Ah. Shall we continue this in the morning?”
Daichi raised an eyebrow. “Are you giving up?”
“Of course not.”
“We said we’d finish tonight, so we’re finishing tonight.”
“You’re a real stickler, Daichi.” Sugawara sighed, leaning back in his chair.
“Don’t you mean ‘Sawamura’?” As nonchalant as Sugawara was, he usually followed the bare minimum formalities.
“It’s just you and me here.” He folded his hands under his chin, wearing a mischievous smile. “Go on, try calling me ‘Koushi’.”
He felt his face warm. A common side effect of being in Sugawara’s presence. “No.”
“How about ‘Suga’?”
“Suga?” He repeated it more out of surprise than anything.
Suga smirked. “Yeah, just like that.”
“You’re being ridiculous. If you’re so tired, then ask an aide for more coffee.”
“They all went home! You’re the only person who’s stubborn and eccentric enough to still be working at seven o’clock at night.”
Daichi frowned. “I’m just doing my job.”
“You Cornixi haven’t heard of work-life balance.”
He felt himself twitch. “We don’t have such luxury.”
“Ah, you’re getting mad again. Just when I thought we were becoming friends.”
“How could I be friends with someone like you?” That had more bite than he’d intended. The late hour must be affecting him, too.
“And what’s wrong with me?” Suga tilted his head. “We’re in the same place in life. Civil servants, the same age, similar background. Both handsome. What’s not to like?”
“You’re—you’re insufferable.” He should not be saying this out loud. “You walk around like everything in life comes so easy to you. Like you wake up and all your hair is perfectly in place, and then you put on your fancy suit and strut around the office. And you always have a bone to pick with me, no matter what I say. You’re never satisfied.”
Suga raised his eyebrows. “You think I strut and have perfect hair?”
“Sugawara.”
“No, no. I get it.” He stood up from his chair and went around the table to where Daichi sat, leaning in towards his face. “You want to satisfy me.”
Daichi had lost control of the situation. What made it worse was the dark shade of red his face had turned into. “I—”
“Stop pretending.” Suga tugged on his tie, forcing him closer. “You don’t have to come here nearly as often as you do. And you certainly don’t have to spend the night. But you do anyway.”
“I don’t like what you’re imp—”
“Implying?” Suga sat on Daichi’s lap, still holding the tie. “But it’s true, isn’t it? That you like me.”
“I…” He couldn’t hear his thoughts over the pounding of his heart, or the warm weight settled over his thighs.
“I see how you look at me when you think I’m not looking.” Suga tilted his head. “Why do you look so cornered, Daichi?” His eyes fell to Daichi’s lips. “Have I finally rendered you speechless?”
As much as Daichi hated to think it, Suga was right. He was cornered. Suga had Daichi right where he wanted him.
…But, maybe for the first time, what Suga wanted wasn’t far off from what Daichi wanted.
He kissed Suga with such force that he gasped, pulling Suga flush against him. It was unfortunate that he couldn’t revel in the victory of finally getting Suga to shut up, as he was too occupied by the taste of coffee and sugar, the feeling of Suga’s tight ass in his hands.
He would never admit it out loud, but there had been so many lonely nights when he’d dreamed of this exact situation. Suga tugging his hair, working wonders with that silver tongue…
It wasn’t until Suga had unbuttoned his shirt that he remembered where they were. In a government office.
He broke away, breathless. “Suga, if this goes any further, we’re going to get fired.”
Suga hummed disappointedly, running a hand down his abs. “I hate that you’re right. Once we have sex, we have to file the relationship paperwork for both our governments.”
“So…” Daichi tried to gather his thoughts. “Do you think we could…put an official seal on this negotiation?”
Suga’s eyes lit up. “Because if our relationship happens after work hours, then we don’t have to file the paperwork until our next scheduled meeting.”
“Right.” He was about to smile, until Suga squirmed in his lap and made him pay more attention to a different body part.
“Then I suppose we’ll have to go back to negotiating.”
They were in the middle of another argument when he noticed that Suga’s eyes kept drifting downward, and he remembered that he hadn’t buttoned up his shirt again.
He smirked. “The sooner we finish here, the sooner we can go back to my hotel room.”
“I’ll sign your original proposal. It was reasonable enough. I’ll deal with the backlash in the morning.” Suga held his tie again, leaning closer. “Stars, you have impressive pecs. I can’t wait to run my tongue over them.”
Daichi cleared his throat, figuring now was the time to cover up. “Sign here.”
“I’ll do anything you say, baby.”
He could never tell who was in charge. Maybe it didn’t matter.
“Hey,” Suga began once they’d left the office, the vapors of their breath floating into the cool night air. “You know this isn’t a pimp thing, right?”
He laughed. “A what?”
“Like, I’m not extorting you for sex in exchange for political favors.”
“I would hope not.”
“I just wanted to be clear.” Suga’s flush was a little bright for the cold. “I like you. Not just for your pecs.”
“Oh? Why else do you like me?”
“Because you’re smart. Dedicated, reliable. Honest.”
Daichi rubbed his neck embarrassedly. He hadn’t expected a real answer. “Thanks.”
“And what about me?” Suga raised a playful brow. “Do you only like me for my ass?”
“No.” Daichi paused under a street lamp. “I like your wit. You have an answer for everything, and you work hard.”
“I’m not sure that second one was a compliment.” Suga smiled. His eyes twinkled under the glow of the streetlight.
Snowflakes fell like honey from a spoon. Daichi brushed one from the edge of Suga’s hair.
Suga kissed him. It was different this time. It was slow, deliberate, like every movement was a declaration of love.
Their lips separated, but their arms were tangled around each other.
“Daichi?”
“Yes, Suga?”
“Take me home.”