Absolutely Professional

It seemed as though Krang had lost track of the time.

He had sent Ch'rell away many hours ago, with a task of assassination. It might have been done quickly or he would be gone for days.
No matter…that meddling Malignoid investigator had to go. No matter what it took. Too much was at stake and Krang’s patience had ended.
And so…he sent Ch'rell to the task.

It had started to rain while he completed a military strategy he had started with his council. Yet the next time he cared to look out the massive window behind him - it was pitch black. Thunder had brought his attention to it, as well as a rush of rainfall. He looked up from the holographic map he was observing to glance out to the darkness swallowing the cityscape. “Did we really lose that much of the time?” He wondered, approaching the window in hopes of getting some idea of how heavily it was pouring. He was barely able to illuminate outside - but he could very clearly see the rain pouring down, accompanied by small crackles of lightning. There was only one ship he could spot. With the next spark of lightning, he noticed it was Ch'rell’s.

He was back early. Either he failed miserably or completed his task quickly.
Krang moved back to his table to organize the maps before his arrival. Ch'rell had his own key to his chambers.
He could come in on his own as soon as he arrived.
As Krang was putting paper maps back in their storage spaces - marked with sticky notes as needed - Ch'rell arrived through the door, looking disheveled and a little damp.
“I wasn’t expecting you back so soon.” Krang remarked, stowing the last map and approaching him. Ch'rell brought his walker to a stowing area; it looked like a tall glass case, with a specialized magnet on the sides to keep the walker upright upright. Afterwards, he practically stumbled onto a different walker - shorter, closer to the floor. Made to be used in the massive atrium of Krang’s chambers - it wasn’t exactly easy to traverse on foot.
“Well, I can assure you, while it was done quickly…it wasn’t easily. I had to resort to poison.” He came to Krang’s side.
“The hard part was making it look like an accident…”

Krang narrows his gaze. “But he is dead?” He asked.
“Yes.” Ch'rell replied. “And I made sure to leave to trace of my presence.”
Krang nodded with a long smile. “Good.”
A great cacophony of thunder took their attention. Lightning overtook the sky; had the room been dark, it would have been illuminated with light.

“Well…” Krang sighed. “Too late and too wet for you to be going anywhere.” He looked at Ch'rell.
“What a shame, I might have to stay here for the night.” Ch'rell replied sincerely…then cracked a coy grin.
“At least be professional, Colonel.” Krang puffed, picking up some papers off his round work table, hoping he’d be able to sort something together in order.
Ch'rell nodded obediently, but kept his broad smile.
“Yes sir.” He helped Krang gather up the rest of the sheets and folded up a map that had been laid across the table’s entirety.
They stacked the papers on a corner of the table and stared at it for a moment.

“How long were you in the rain?” Krang asked.
“Not long enough to get drenched.” Ch'rell replied. “However, it’s freezing.”
Krang nodded. “Very well…I assume you’re exhausted as well.”
Ch'rell sucked in air through his teeth. “Quite.”

“Well, since you’re here.” Krang touched Ch'rell’s shoulder with his tentacle.
“We can set aside our walkers for the night and settle into bed. I won’t have you going back out into the rain.” Krang watched Ch'rell’s expression.
Interest. Keen interest.
Krang brought up a tentacle and brushed it over Ch'rell’s prongs.
“From the looks of things, it won’t let up until later tomorrow.” He whispered.
“It’s past midnight, sir.” Ch'rell held his tentacle on his face. “Do you mean ‘later today’?” He teased.
“But of course.” Krang led him to set the walker aside outside his bedroom and let the door slide open.
Ch'rell joined him, a little hurriedly, while Krang dismounted onto the floor. He took a few steps inside the bedroom while Ch'rell followed, carrying the remote control to the lights, bringing them up just enough to see their way to the bed, in a soft blue tone.

The bed was in the center of the room, on a slightly elevated platform, with four-poster curtains. It would be marvelously private.
As soon as they were down in the bed, Ch'rell wrapped himself in the heavy blanket that was partly bound to the flat mattress and settled close to Krang.
“Are you cold?” Krang whispered.
“To the bone.” Ch'rell responded, just as low.
“I should have warmed you earlier…” It was a little bit of a struggle for Krang to wrap his tentacles around Ch'rell. He was bigger and more muscular. Finding himself at a limit where his tentacle started to cramp, he stroked the long scar over Ch'rell’s eye.

“So…do we signal for privacy?” Ch'rell asked coyly.
“The staff knows to leave me alone.” Krang responded. “Though, I imagine you’re exhausted from the day you’ve had. I’m sure you’d prefer to sleep.”
Ch'rell slowly pulled back a little, thinking. “I suppose you’re right.”
He smirked and looked away.
“What?” Krang asked.
“I was just imagining what your father would be thinking for this.” Ch'rell said. “Breaking professionalism, but…” He settled on his side.
“What business does he have with us?” He closed his eyes.
Krang settled close, with an agreeing smirk. “He can’t stop us…and there’s nothing saying we have to keep our relationship absolutely professional.”
After a pause, he softly grazed his teeth near Ch'rell’s mouth - since Utrom anatomy doesn’t allow for what humanoids know as “kissing”.

“We’ll save festivities until after you’re warmed and rested…” He whispered. “And eaten, of course.” He added quickly. Ch'rell hadn’t said he was hungry, but it must have been hours since he’d eaten.
Krang settled down and darkened the lights, then set the remote behind their heads on the platform below the bed.
Ch'rell had mumbled something, agreeing with the previous statement. His exhaustion had caught up with him. Hunger had not.
And Krang was realizing his own was as well. He entwined his tentacle around Ch'rell’s.
He heard a thunderclap as he started to doze.

Perhaps tomorrow, there would be enough storm left to be ambience.
Before he trailed off to sleep, he remembered…there was work to be done afterwards.