Masking - Chapter 5
https://archiveofourown.org/works/27939147/chapters/68519532 He’s agreed to let you monitor him in exchange for your later services. This is not how you saw this night folding. You wonder why he needs someone whom he believes to be a government spy. Parliament is about to recess before the snap election. Are his motivations political? You speculate with so little evidence. Better than thinking about how your heart rate is still racing from his unorthodox oathmaking.
“From now on, you’ll be acting with me.”
“Like you want me to come to work with you?”
Kei laughs. “Oh no, no, no. What are you talking about? I mean...You’ll be by my side 24/7.”
Isn't that awfully extreme? Shouldn’t have put it past him, though. He's been very thorough so far. His only blindspot being that he seized on the idea that you're a government agent and discarded all other possibilities. The usual fatal flaw of highly intelligent people. Your hindbrain chimes in.
Alpha wants to protect us. That's why he wants to be near.
Perish the thought. At least this means your job is much easier in a sense. You are supposed to be surveilling him, after all. The only trouble is, how do you report to the Boss? You turn your head upwards and notice the cameras. This is going to be tricky, to say the least.
Kei gathers the glasses, putting them casually back on the tray. He clearly doesn't trust having staff within his home either.
“It’s not as if you’re a prisoner, though. Feel free to make yourself at home here. And if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.” Kei brings the tray into the kitchen and starts washing the spoon and absinthe glasses.
You snort derisively, “Got it. How sweet of you.”
Alpha knows he has to take care of us. Why don't you trust Alpha?
Your Omega seems insistent on trusting him. You're torn. All your training is at odds with your instincts.
Kei replies cheerfully, “But of course! You’re my accomplice now. It’s only natural I treat you well.” He smiles, as if he wasn’t just licking green liquor off of your lips not five minutes ago. He continues, “Now then, if you work for the government, then you must be reporting to a superior.” He continues tidying away the drink accessories.
You nod.
“Report to your superior. Right here, right now. Contact your boss.” Kei doesn’t even look at you while making this request.
You’re not so certain about this part. What if Kei traced the call? Maybe you could bluff. It’s worth a shot. “My bosses could figure out you’re up to something. If I were you, I wouldn’t let me make a report from here.”
He finishes with his cleanup, and chuckles softly. “I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but you don’t need to worry about me. Just contact your boss and make a status report. I’ll be fine.”
Once again, there is an illusion of having a choice, but you see he’s forced you into only one outcome. You turn the video off on your phone and run it through your VPN, to at least make it a little more difficult to trace your employers. If he’s going to do it, He should have to work for it. Turning the video off is a signal to your Boss that you’re in a situation where a target could see his face. Might as well put on a show, just a little razzle dazzle. You don’t intend to keep him long.
The boss’s voice plays through your phone’s speaker, “Heyyy Nagisa. How’s it going?”
This is a very casual greeting even for him, and he’s using your alias. You turning off the video portion is the standard operating procedure for reporting in a place where you’re probably on camera.
“I’m calling to report on the results of today’s assignment. Per Kei’s suggestion, I’m going to be working with him as his partner while he is in Japan. Evidently, he was pleased with the way I helped him entertain his guests for afternoon tea.”
“Excellent. Keep me updated on his every move. You’re doing alright, I presume?” Alright is one of your code words for if you need extraction or other help without blowing your cover to bits.
“Yep, everything’s great. Well, talk to you later.”
You hang up the call, keeping it brief enough that tracing it will be an exercise in futility. You didn’t exactly lie to the boss. Unless you count lies of omission. You feel a little sick for giving an incomplete status report. But what choice did you really have?
The Alpha smiles at you, pleased with your little performance. “Sounds like you’re going to have to keep him ‘up to date’ on my every move.”
You want to scowl at this man so badly. He is treating this like a game. You don’t have that luxury without any of your weapons. There’s an awkward silence while you stare at each other. “So what’s next?” you ask, impatient to break the silence. You’re feeling a little overtired from the back and forth, and would welcome a few moments in sweet oblivion. You lean back in the sofa and exhaustion starts closing your eyes.
“Come this way.” he pulls you up from the couch firmly, and leads you into another room.
It’s a beautifully appointed guest room. Ivory curtains frame the windows, but they’re a heavy velvet, so they would keep the room dark during the day if desired. The view of Tokyo is incredible up here, a sea of stars in the inky void of night. Every stick of furniture is a beautifully restored antique. Maybe from his family’s home? It’s almost nice except… there are cameras everywhere. That panics you, a little, and the adrenaline wakes you up.
“You’ve got quite the place here.,” you say, while motioning to the cameras.
“I have friends who are into some pretty...hm… shall we say sinister stuff.” His smile is chilling.
“What are you plotting?
“Me?” he scoffs. “You’re the one monitoring me. That’s on you to figure out, isn’t it?”
“Fair point.”
You might as well be in an actual cage. Ensnared. Ah. that’s how this feels. It’s hard to breathe around him, scent notwithstanding. You’ve been caught in his web, and for your part, eagerly awaiting his treacherous caress. So much for thinking you earned his trust earlier.
“Next, I’d like you to take off your clothes.”
You give him a blank stare, pointedly blinking. He can’t be serious. Kei pulls out a small briefcase from under the bed and slides it towards you. He steps back and leans against the wall, watching you.
“Remove everything you’re wearing -- everything you don’t need -- and put it in that briefcase. Don’t forget your jewelry and your phone.”
“I didn’t think you were the kind of guy who’d watch a woman change clothes.”
His laugh is sinister mischievous. “I don’t know what gave you that impression. But this is who I am.” He leans against the wall and pulls out his phone, starting to read.
“I thought you were supposed to be the darling of English High Society. A veritable prince.”
“Princes are still only men, after all.” Kei again makes eye contact with you. It’s not passion in his eyes, but it grips you nonetheless. Your instinct is to shrink from his gaze. Every sense says he’s right next to you though, that there is no escape. You search your alias’s notes for anything to center around. Ah yes, Nagisa was very flirtatious. Might as well make it a show, right?
You turn your back to him and unzip your dress and let it fall to the floor. He looks you over once, and hurriedly turns back to his phone.
Maybe he’s telling himself it was just to make sure you’re not carrying any weapons.
You could hear a fucking pin drop in this room. His scent intensifies, and you pick up a hint of confusion. It seems like the ice prince isn’t entirely unaffected, though he regains his poker face. He must be trying his best to look disinterested. You slowly peel off every layer, catching his occasional stolen glances.
Though you’d consider yourself to be in control at the moment, your pulse is racing due to his scent. You detect very strong, focused interest from him, only growing in intensity. Your breathing is a little shallower than usual. Is this what it’s like to be with an Alpha?
You place everything, stockings, garter belt, and jewelry into the briefcase. You only have your bra and slick soaked panties left. Unless..
“Are you going to make me remove my undergarments as well?”
Kei doesn’t look up from his phone again when he replies. “No, that’s fine. Making women strip under these circumstances isn’t really my thing.” He shakes his head as if to clear his thoughts. He approaches you and closes the briefcase, pulling away from you quickly and crossing to the door.
“I’ll have a change of clothes ready for you. In the meantime. You can use the dressing gown in the closet. Good night, sleep tight.” He leaves, shutting the door behind him.
Though the room is still full of cameras, Kei leaving the room lets you exhale a breath you were holding.
He could have taken you forcefully like you’ve heard about other Alphas before.
He didn’t.
Another startling realization, up until this afternoon, he was distinctly Mr. Soejima. After he told you to call him Kei, it’s like a switch was flipped. Your curse, your biology betraying you still.
At least he didn’t know your bra still has a camera and recording device. Small blessings for repurposed areas of push-up bras. You can still do your work.
You have an unshakeable feeling that he’s definitely got something worth exposing to put you through the wringer like this.
---
You wake up. Right. He’s essentially got you on house arrest. You put on the ivory satin dressing gown. There’s a clothing box outside the door. You quickly pull the box inside and check the labels. He must have measured your confiscated dress to get your size. There’s some undergarments as well. There’s a note that falls out after you put away the clothes. It reads: Come down for breakfast in my office.













