Cupid's Chokehold
By Amaniblue
Rating: M for male smex and profanity
Fandom: Love Mode
Pairing: Konno x ??? (will state in next chapter)
Disclaimer: Does not own but is willing to negotiate. I'll trade a house for Jin! ^_^

AN: Thank you for everyone who has read and review the 'Trials of the Heart'. I've been pretty busy lately and have yet to follow up on the comments. Sorry about that. I hate to do another post and run but that is pretty much what I'm doing again. This is a continuation fic of 'TotH' featuring Konno and some mysterious person to whom you will find out at the end of this first chapter. Have fun reading! (Hopefully this fic won't be as long as the other one.)

-Prologue-

The bar was a dive. Konno didn't think many couples would venture here for a little drink before they continue with their plans for the evening. It suited him fine. He needed a hard drink to soothe his bruise ego and heart without cooing couples making gooey faces at each other.

He'd never lost in the game of love before. Normally it was him who would dump the other, not the other way around. His friend, Izumi, should be flattered by his attention. But the man was taken. Normally he wouldn't give up without a fight, but Konno knew that his friend's heartstrings were irrevocably tied to this Takamiya guy.

Funny how his first attempt at a homosexual relationship would lead him to heartache. He knew his friend was the type to fall deeply in love and give everything he got over to that person. He wanted that desperately after all the misbegotten relationships that he has had with women over the years. This game of love was becoming tiresome.

It was times like these when he wondered why he even bother.

Scoffing at his own maudlin thoughts, Konno raise his glass for another swig and found it empty. Shaking his head for loosing himself in his own musings, he searched for the bartender. This time he made sure the bartender caught his gaze and tap his glass with an index finger for good measure, making it certain he meant to have another. The bartender nods then glides over with the bottle of Scotch to refill it for him. Just as the liquid slosh to the rim, Konno reached out and slip the man 2000 yen.

He could afford to be generous. After all his current job was piss ass easy to earn, even though it wasn't as lucrative with the commission work as his previous position back in Tokyo. That thought reminded him of the reason why he left and Konno pick up his drink and down the whole glass. The liquid fire burn the entire way down. It felt wonderful.

He raises his gaze to the bartender once more, but failed to catch the man's eyes as the fellow had his back turn, too busy breaking up a squabble between two salary men at the end of the bar bench, not far from where Konno sat.

He swiveled around in his bar stool to see what the hell was taking so long when a flash of steel caught his eye. Not stopping to even wonder what in the world he was getting himself into, Konno was out of his seat in an instant and deflecting the aim with a harsh side kick to the assailant's wrist. Not bad reflexes for a man who already nursed a few shots before the two Scotch he drank. The man yelps in pain as he drops the switchblade. Then decidedly turn tail to run out the door.

Huh. How odd was it that he ended up in a damsel-in-distress rescue type scenario twice in one day? Only, it was a man both times. Not that he was hoping to win the girl or in this case guy for that matter. Izumi was a prize for another. As for this victim, he'll settle for a drinking partner.

Said victim looked shaken enough to thank him profusely. It was quite funny to see the man bow so low and stutter his gratitude.

Konno flash a wry grin and remarked, "Think nothing of it. Just buy me a couple of drinks and call it even, 'kay?"

When the man straighten up and return a shaky, lopsided grin before he nods in agreement, Konno was taken aback for he felt a sense of familiarity at the gesture. The man resembles Izumi a little. Shaking his own head of that vein of silly sentiments, Konno threw an arm around his new found drinking partner and push him towards the seat next to him.

-Chapter 1-

He had made a mess of things once more.

That is the moral dilemma that plagues Konno upon wakening in a strange bed. He didn't remember how this scenario came about.

The only peculiarities he remembers were bits and pieces of sweaty skin sliding against sweaty skin, some heavy petting, a few wet sloppy kisses, and tons of shallow breathing.

So wouldn't you know it, as if on cue, a familiar hot sensation in his groin perks up, adding to his already thickening morning wood, at the unforgettable memory of him thrusting most eagerly into a hot and oh so tight passage?

He knew in no unspecified terms that the unknown body in his dream couldn't be that of a woman. For whom was he kidding? Even though the muffled sounds of a person showering in the adjoining bathroom could be heard and therefore can spell out for a certainty the gender of this stranger upon their reentry to the room. Konno decided he need not stick around to verify this fact. He knew without a doubt that it couldn't possibly be a woman for the simple fact that the clothes strewn haphazardly from the hotel room entrance way, down the hall and into the main bedroom were all male apparel.

There was that and the blatant fact that none of his memories surfaced thus far contain a pair of ample bosoms or shapely hips and legs at all.

So he slept with a man.

Well, it could be worse Konno figured: he could have been the bottom.

So the question still remains: should he stay and perhaps get a number for a possible round two o f this strange encounter? It was his first male on male action after all. Since he felt genuinely sated and dare he say, happy. Mayhap the sex wasn't so bad. More like fucking fantastic judging by how he's feeling now. Perhaps the sex would be even better sober?

However, what if his partner was butt ugly? For the life of him, Konno couldn't remember a face to go with that needy body he consumed last night. What if the person he slept with was not only ugly, but has an annoying voice to match? He didn't remember much talking before the action and Konno didn't trust his memory of whether his partner had a sexy physique or not. Drunken ruts can play tricks on the mind to make one thinks one partner was damn sexy but only to find one has slept with a troll afterwards or so he heard. Not that he had much of that type of experience. Oh alright, maybe he came close to one. She was downright not girlfriend material that was for sure.

Oh why would his normally reliable brain fail him now? Konno quickly rose to his feet, deciding in that instant he'll just have to live with the fact of not knowing. This was a one night stand. It wasn't like he never had any of those before. Just that it was never with another man. Leave it at that, he told himself.

So with quick haste, Konno donned on his clothes, then located his mobile phone, keys and wallet. He checked for any missing contents twice before he found his socks and shoes and put them on. He was very much tempted to locate the other's wallet to at least satisfy his own curiosity before he goes. For a few quick moments he did just that, but was unsuccessful. The stranger must have taken his own wallet in to the bathroom with him. Smart man. He would have done the same.

There really wasn't much left for him to linger about. Konno heard the water shut off on the other side of the door. Panic rising, he covered the short distance towards the entrance way and quickly opens the door to make a quick getaway.

Steam pillowed out to the bedroom when the bathroom door opens. A slim figure with a white terry cloth towel wrapping low around his hip, exits. He looks at the vacated bed and then the missing clothes before he sighs in relief. A pinkish blush adds color to his thoroughly scrub skin.

He was glad the other had left. He was hoping the man had taken the hint with him spending such a long time in the bathroom. Not to hide, mind you. No. Only to allow the other enough time to gather his things and leave. It wasn't because he felt completely embarrass to confront a stranger to whom he has chosen to give his virginity to. No, certainly not that.

A low buzz disrupted the figure's one-sided conversation. He was glad for any distraction from his own awkward thoughts.

He moved quickly to retrieve his mobile phone from the pocket of his suit jacket and flip the device open.

"Good morning, Wataru-kun. I hope I didn't wake you?"

The slim figure absently caresses the phone in his firm grip as he moves to sit at the foot of the bed before he replies with a tinge of adoration in his voice, "Not at all Naoya sempai. I just got out of the shower."

Soft laughter could be heard on the other end. "Good, good. So are we still on for lunch today? I have an old friend I like you to reacquaint with."

Wataru nods eagerly to the phone, even though he knows the other can't see it. He then affirms with a verbal reply. "But of course. I'm looking forward to it."

"I'll see you at noon then at the old billiards place."

With a quick good bye, Wataru snaps the mobile phone shut and began gathering the strewn clothes on the floor.

When he was dress properly, ignoring a few wrinkles, Wataru phones the front desk for a quick check out and made another call to request his chauffer to pick him up. With the last of his task accomplish, Wataru took a long wistful look at the room, lingering a tad longer at the bed and decidedly filed the memory away.

It was a one night stand. He'll leave it at that.