-KOTETSU T. KABURAGI-

The sooner we get out of this mess, the better, because I can't believe I went to the trouble of chasing this jerk down only to find out he wasn't going to report me. The worst part is I don't know whether or not to feel like I have the shittiest luck.

The fact that he starts stripping as soon as he's done talking to the technician and calling his agent sure don't help me figure that out either. And fuck, as much as I want to look away… just damn.

With a slight blush, he commands, "Show some decorum, dirty old man, and quit staring at me."

"Why the hell are you even stripping?" I retort, leaving him to throw his half-damp top over my face. Growling, I toss it off to the opposite corner… knocking the coffee over by mistake. He sends a glare my way, to which I can only sheepishly scratch the back of my neck at. "I didn't mean that."

Giving up a sigh, he bends down to place it upright again. I watch in displeasure as the liquid soaks into the carpet of the flooring. That's definitely going to be gross, not to mention a big hassle to the guy who has to clean it up later.

"Goodness, it's like you attract trouble to yourself…" He comments rudely, giving me reason to glare at him this time. But, as per usual, there's no breaking through this hard-ass little hotshot. He just goes on pretending that I don't even exist to him. You know, actually, I'm starting to wonder why I even bothered trying to make him smile. He's just a plain old brat, period.

Just then, I watch him pull out a pair of rabbit ears from his bag, and I snort before I can stop myself. His sights snap back towards me, glowering, as he puts them on.

At that, I can't stop myself from bawling with laughter, "Oh god, if you had just worn that earlier, then… ahahaha!"

"Then what?" He snaps back, his voice falling like a hiss but, just fuck everything, I can't take him seriously with those floppy pink ears dangling over his head.

"I-I would've written 'Bunny' on your cup instead!" I can barely even talk from laughing so hard, "That would've been pure gold! Ahaha! "

"It's a rabbit costume, you jackass!" He defends, but I can't help but laugh louder, at the fact that he's so worked up over this get-up. "I have to wear this for a photoshoot later on today, so quit laughing at me!"

And with the tense way his shoulders are drawn up, and hard lines across his stern expression, I remember exactly why I was wondering about a smile over him. And that's when I feel the laughter dying in my throat, because, wait a second, he's getting his undies in a bunch over a dumb pair of bunny ears. It's almost upsetting to think a guy as young as him could be so wound up over something this small.

"Guess it's nice to finally have an explanation there, like I was asking earlier." I lean back against the wall, averting my eyes as he tugs something skimpy with a fluffy tail over his ass, "Still… I think it'd do you some good to loosen up a bit, little bunny." I can't help the smile once it passes my lips. Bunny… man, that name suits him pretty well.

"It's Barnaby to you." He says coldly as he yanks his pants back on, but the tidbit of distance in his voice makes my pity for him rise a little higher, "Just shut it. You wouldn't know the first thing about me."

I offer a hand up to the air, "Come on, I'm pretty sure we can relate on at least some level."

"Really?" I can hear the hint of challenge behind those lips, the edge of a smirk creeping onto his features, "Tell me then, what a barista who can't spell has in common with one of the most handsome models on the East Coast. I want to know."

"Let's see…" So he really is a model, like I figured. I ponder a second, before going on to reply, "well, if anything, I get that it must be tough to work under pressure. The lines get pretty long on the weekends, so it's definitely a taxing situation… and I'm guessing you've been spread out pretty thin by your own job too."

"Oh? What makes you figure that?"

"Like… doesn't modeling involve a constant upkeep of your appearance or something?" I count off on my fingers, "Right diet, right amount of exercise, right amount of sleep and all of that? Or am I wrong?"

"You… have that right for the most part." Ah, poor thing, I can hear how worn out he must feel just thinking about all of that. No wonder the guy's so fucking high-strung! He never gets a break from his job! He can't really let go for just a second and pig out on junk food with full abandon or not worry about missing a day at the gym.

I voice the first thing that comes to mind with that thought, "And I'm guessing that's stressful?"

He pouts, "Nothing I can't handle."

"Just because you can handle it doesn't mean it's not stressful." He shuts up at this, again at a loss for words, just like the little encounter that ended us up in the mess. And I don't know where the concern is coming from, but there it is, and now I'm pressing, "Admit it. It is, isn't it?"

Instead, he settles to sit in front of me and utters, "So what if it is? It's worth it." His voice begins to rise, with a glimmer in his eyes behind those glasses, "I like the attention I get. I like the compliments, the parties, the renown. I get to travel all over the country and I never have to pay for any of my meals away from home. It's all great, and I wouldn't trade it for anything." And with that, a dreamy, content look paints his features, his lips curving upwards into a very sweet, very genuine smile.

Damn, if that isn't one of the cutest things I've ever seen… not sure I could quite ask for anything more.

"Hey, you smiled!" I clap, "Finally!" He flushes at that, his cheeks taking on about the same color as his bunny ears.

Readjusting his glasses in a cheap attempt to cover it up, he remarks, "Small things amuse small minds, I see."

But I can't even find it in me to be mad at that, not when I finally made him smile for real, not when it warms my heart to know that I finally cracked through this tough impassive façade to find a sensitive side underneath it all. And now that I know such a side to him exists, it only makes me want to see even more.

Leaning my hand against my cheek, "Say what you will, but that was no small thing. That was a big deal coming from you." I don't really have time to relish the way he turns even redder, because there's a little buzz and beep in my pocket telling me that someone wants to talk. Digging my phone out, I answer, "Hello? Kotetsu here!"

"Hey, Dad, it's Kaede. Just wondering where you are. You're still coming to watch me skate, right?"

"Oh!" I slap a hand over my mouth as I quickly pull the phone back to check the time. Shit, it's 3:20 already? And I'm supposed to meet her at the ice skating rink by 4:00. Dammit, how do I put this? "Well, sweetie, I really, really, really hate to say this, but… something came up, and I'm not sure I'll be able to make it on time."

"You're not coming then, are you?" Fuck, I hate when she takes on that tone, obviously disappointed but trying so hard to be detached. No, I can't let my baby girl down again! I just can't!

"I am too coming!" I reassure, "I promise I'll be there, don't you worry!"

"Dad, forget it. Don't make a promise you can't keep." She sighs, breaking my heart that much more, "It's alright. I'll see you at home. At least try not to get back late this time, okay? Bye."

"Wait, Kaede!" Too late, she already hung up. "Ugh…"

Suddenly, it's like Barnaby exists again as he asks timidly, "What was that all about?"

"Oh, that was my daughter. I promised her I'd go watch her skate today, but… well, can't really do that trapped inside an elevator." I exhale, feeling like shit, "I know I shouldn't beat myself up for it, but I can't help but feel terrible. This isn't the first time I've left her hanging, after all…"

I swear, every damn time, something has to come up, and usually it's that I have to cover someone's shift at the last minute. And I hate it, because I truly do want to be there for her, but I… I just keep letting her down.

Apparently, I said all of that out loud, because now he's replying, "Huh. Lucky kid she is to have a dad that cares so much." With a shrug, he mutters, "I guess you're not so bad."

I give up a laugh, "Glad to know at least someone sees I'm trying!"

Silence scatters between us, before he drops in, "What happened to her mom? Divorced?" The question takes me by surprise and kicks me in the gut because he can't be any further from the truth. But I guess I made a face because now he's backing off with, "Sorry, you don't have to answer that. I was just… curious, that was all."

"It's fine. We're not getting out of here any time soon, so we may as well just talk." Taking a deep breath, I start from the beginning.

-BARNABY BROOKS JR.-

I'm not sure how to explain this feeling, but the longer I spend talking to him, the more he draws me in. He has this magnetism about him that just makes it hard for me not to wonder exactly what kind of past was responsible for shaping the personality of the goofy but multifaceted character sitting before me. I can't help but feel compelled to ask, to learn more about him, even though I know it's none of my business to know about a stranger's love life. And despite my efforts to hold my tongue, I still find the inquiry spilling past my lips.

It's oddly satisfying to find how eager he is to share the story with me.

Kotetsu had met Tomoe back in high school, and in between the years before they got married, they had a few breaks in which they had seen other people. It wasn't as though I'd never heard of a romance like that before. My parents' story went a similar a way, except they were in college and not high school, and they had met during freshman seminar and not choir practice. And like my parents, Kotetsu and Tomoe had a miracle a child, a birth that wasn't expected to go well but still did, and Kaede was their result. I was my parents'.

That's where the similarity ended, unfortunately.

While death—the gruesome, cruel collector that it was—was gracious enough to have taken both my parents before their time in the same night, Kotetsu had been left behind and torn from a woman he had known and loved since high school. The worst part of it was that he'd been given the hope that she could survive too.

"So, in the end, cancer got her, and that was that." He sighs, fiddling with his hat, "She told me before she died that she wanted me to move on if anything happened, so I did try. I have been on a couple of dates since then, but… well, nothing quite compared to what we had. But maybe the real reason I'm still single is because no one actually has any genuine interest in dating an old dad like me, heh."

"Nonsense," I find the reassurance passing my lips all too easily. "Anyone would be lucky to have you."

At this point, I'm quite sure I've had him all wrong. Sure, he acts pretty stupid, and goodness, is he a klutz, but… I can hardly imagine who exactly can find it in them to hate someone with such loyalty, such tenderness, such compassion. If the way he cares about his daughter hasn't told me enough, the guy went out of his way to try and make me smile, despite barely knowing me, despite the fact I had intentionally snubbed him in past encounters. His patience and selflessness, the way he thinks about the needs of others before his own… who the hell wouldn't fall for that?

"Alright, your turn." He grins at me (with a very teasing, knowing glint in his amber eyes) and I look away with the embarrassment that I had been caught staring at him. Wait… what does he mean by "my turn"?

"Huh?"

"Tell me all about your love life! I'm curious too!" He teases, "I bet you must be real popular with the ladies, eh, little bunny? Or… any certain gentlemen in your life to sweep ya off your feet? I'm not exactly picking up any straight vibes from you, honestly." Well, he isn't necessarily wrong about that, but it's not like I'd know…

I tug at my collar a little bit, "Uhm… well…"

Throughout my life, I've never really had too much time to think about romance, honestly, even though the idea had always appealed to me. I didn't really have much time to sort through figuring out my sexuality either, since I was always on the move, too busy to really think about who I liked or who I thought of as sexy. For the most part, it was people who were attracted to me, not the other way around. And I never really found myself reciprocating the romantic sentiments of any of my admirers. I never got close enough to anyone to really feel that way, never really had the time to sit down and talk to someone, unravel their life story, share my own thoughts freely without calculation until… until now.

Oh no, this can't seriously be happening, not now, not with the kind of life I lead, not when I practically have no time to spare for anyone, let alone a lover. And yet, with the way his expression softens, the tender look in his eyes directed at me, he's starting to really make me wish I did have the time.

"Don't be shy now." I feel myself swallow as Kotetsu looks at me with those damn eyes, "I won't make fun of you or anything."

"Right. You don't… seem like the kind of guy who would."

"So…?"

Trying to ignore the fact that my pulse is thudding in my ears, I reply, "I-I've just never had time for that sort of thing." I almost want to slap myself for the little hiccup in my speech, but under his gaze, I can hardly find it in me to care too much about the way my voice is coming out. I blurt, unthinkingly, "I wish I did though…" With this, he shifts, leaning towards me.

"Well, we got time now," he murmurs gently. "And I'd be more than happy to show you a little bit of what you've been missing out on, if you want."

I bite my lip, nervously tracing my gaze down his face with the irrational wonder of what a kiss from him would feel like. I weigh the options for a second and, regardless of knowing that this is really a lot in such a short time, I find it harder and harder to get a grip on myself. My burning face and thumping heartrate continue to argue on behalf of letting those lips touch mine, telling me there would be no consequence to it.

Even with my clouded judgment, it does start to make logical sense, because I'm leaving for Los Angeles tomorrow, so there won't be the embarrassment of having to face him the next day. The distance will also give me time to get over any feelings that may develop in this short little time span, killing off whatever is in my heart before it has time to fester. Yeah… it doesn't have to be anything special! It can just be like that sample of crab cake I tried for the sake of trying just before leaving Chesapeake Bay.

"Sure thing…" is all I can muster together, but after such a long pause, Kotetsu must have decided my reply is too weak to continue any further with, as he leans back a little bit, his expression awash with hesitation and concern.

"You really sure?" He whispers as he closes back in, his voice so gentle and sweet, his eyes about as warm as the way his breath falls over me. A shiver runs up my spine at this, and from there, my body seems to start moving on its own. Somehow, I find the nerve to lift up a shaky hand and tug him towards me by the front of his shirt.

There are sparks flickering behind my eyelids the moment our lips meet.

It's quick though, a too-light and too-fleeting brush as he pulls back, leaving me unsated. I start to wonder about his own certainty of proceeding on, but the affection and longing that paints his breathless expression tells me he's holding back when I really don't want him to, not when this spare time is so limited. This is such a rare opportunity that I'd feel like an utter fool for not making the most of it.

Recognizing that he needs my enthusiasm, I decide to pull him back in, gripping him by the shoulder this time to drive the point home. Then I deepen the kiss best as I can, gliding my tongue lightly over his lower lip and hoping my inexperience doesn't take anything away from the endeavor. The pleased, low noise at the back of his throat is a faint reassurance that it doesn't. Head spinning with the thought that he enjoys my kiss, I shudder and draw back for a moment to catch my breath.

"I hope," I pant, "that's sufficient enough for 'yes'."

He chuckles, eyelids hooded slightly, "Mm, well then… if you insist…"

Kotetsu dives back in for another now, confidently pouring out his passion in a way that makes me want to clutch him tighter. His mouth moves against mine, and I do what I can to keep up, daring to even nip at his bottom lip. He growls at that, and before I know it, his arms are wrapped around me and his tongue is sliding against mine in a manner that positively makes me melt. Uneasy, however, at the loss of control I feel for that brief moment, I slip my tongue back over his as well. It doesn't do much good as it only prompts his tongue to delve in further, finding the all the right movements to make me come undone.

So, as a last ditch attempt to take at least some charge over the situation, I move my hands under his shirt, once again breaking the kiss to recover the breath he'd so skillfully stolen.

Running my hands down his sides and relishing the way he shivers, I ask, "This alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, keep doing that..." He answers, muffling a small moan against my mouth, his tongue back to easing over mine again. But now I'm caught up in the way his skin feels beneath my fingers, its warmth and softness only barely masking the firmness of muscles I never really saw under his work apron. He jolts a bit as I brush a thumb over a nipple, before pressing my palm flat over his chest to feel his heartbeat, thudding about as heavily as mine. It's a delirious delight to find how breathless I can make him too when our mouths part, the way he pants just a little bit as he starts to speak up again. Trailing his own fingers along the edge of my shirt, he goes, "Can I just…"

"Go ahead." And so he does, hands sliding up my shirt to wander over my torso teasingly. It feels nice especially as he strokes over my abs, and with his impressed little hum, I can't help but smirk into the kiss just a bit. Then, unexpectedly, as those fingers skim down my sides a bit lighter than before, I curl into myself and tremble with an entirely different sort of feeling taking hold.

A high-pitched giggle bursts straight out of me at the next break between our lips.

"Aha!" He grins, wriggling his fingers into my stomach, "So you are ticklish!"

I can't believe this is actually happening. I want to just die of embarrassment right now, but I can't stop the laughter spilling out of me as he continues tickling me, kissing me all the while.

"Ko-Kotetsu!" I manage to get out through the giggling fit, but with that he only increases his efforts until I'm squirming, unable to utter any noise besides laughter. This isn't the kind of feeling I was expecting, but it feels good nonetheless, and I can't quite find it in me to ask him to stop. I'm not even sure I want him to, if my laughter is something that can make him smile at me like that.

"Aw, Bunny, your laugh," He hums affectionately, pressing a short kiss to my nose, "is so cute!"

And I don't even care that he's using that ridiculous nickname, because the way it passes his lips here in this moment makes me want to hear him say it again. The caring tone to his voice and the tenderness in his eyes cause my brain to go fuzzy with pure adoration for this man, and all I want to do is just kiss him senseless for as long as I'm able to, before someone can whisk us out of here and take him away from me.

Spurred, I grab his face and bring his lips back to mine, kissing him intensely so I can watch the fireworks dance behind my closed eyes. It's a wonder to my mind how anyone could make this man feel undesirable when clearly he deserves so much love, and I'd be willing to give to him all of mine if I only had more time. And I want more time. I'm even willing to make more time for his sake, and even now, I can tell that's an awful, illogical idea.

Regardless, I subconsciously start making calculations for an unpredictable future, with the foolish hope that maybe I can make something work, just at least to see how things unfold between us out of plain curiosity if for no other reason. Right now, all I can think of with his mouth moving against mine is that this isn't someone I want to let go of so easily.

Then suddenly, we hear a clunk and freeze up entirely. And when I realize the elevator is moving again, I push him off of me, standing up and rearranging my bunny ears, my hair, my outfit, before stuffing my belongings back into my bag. After putting his hat back on, he makes a move to help me too, and I don't turn him down as he takes up the spilled latte. When I least expect it, he tucks back a stray hair for me as well, and I swear I can feel my face flushing anew as he smiles at me while doing so. I look away from him, embarrassed and feeling like some silly lovestruck schoolboy even though I'm a grown man, for goodness sake. But I suppose… it can't be helped. I've never felt this way about anyone before, so it'd only make sense for what I feel now to be affecting me so intensely.

The elevator doors, at long last, open up for us, bringing me to the floor I had originally intended to go to.

As we step out, I cough, "Uh, hey. Sorry for just shoving you off me like that."

"Don't worry about it, I get it." He waves it off, but I see right through his pretense, hear the softly slighted edge to his voice. "Anyhow, um. That was nice. I guess… I'll see ya around."

Before he can even think of taking off though, I instinctively grasp his wrist, the phrase not yet resounding desperately in my head.

I should just let him walk and never look back. It'll make my life so much easier, plus he has a daughter to rush to right now, doesn't he? I can't get in the way of him doing his best for her. What right did I have to hold him back here, make him stay even a moment longer?

I already know it's unwise and irrational to act on this, but I want to know so badly, if this is something that was meant to happen… if anything can really work out between us. I just… I can't let it go, not with this overpowering notion telling me that I need to give it a chance. I need to see this to the end, see how it turns out… because what if it's supposed to turn out alright?

I don't want to miss out on that.

"Wait a moment, just…" I let go of his hand and fumble through my bag for my business cards, handing one to him, "here. I'm heading out of state tomorrow, so I don't know when I'm going to see you again. Let's keep in touch, alright?"

Accepting the card from me, he replies with a grin that soothes me, tells me that everything is going to be okay.

"Sure thing, Barnaby."

Despite my delay, I still manage to stay on top of things that day. After turning in my portfolio, I rush to get to my photoshoot in the nick of time, leaving my session at the gym as my final task for the day to compensate for the time spent in the elevator. I don't even bother filing the complaint anymore when I get a phone call right afterward saying someone—and an intern kid, at that—has arrived at my apartment to fix my lights. And while the electrician finally works on them, I shower off and get out around the time the lights are fully functional again. With that, I pay the electrician, thanking her for her service, before going straight to bed.

It strikes me then, just as I start drifting off to sleep with a light, fuzzy feeling at the thought of kissing Kotetsu, that the man has horrible timing.

Answering the buzz of my phone on the nightstand, I yawn blearily, blinking at the text from an unfamiliar number.

"Hey, it's Kotetsu. Just got home. Anyway, you said you were leaving NY tomorrow? Do you know how long until you're back?"

I heave a sigh, texting back, "I don't know actually. Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering…" there's a little pause, and I know he's not ending it on that note, I can feel it, and he adds, "On the off-chance that you don't fall for some Californian beach babe while you're away, I'd like to know if you wanna maybe," another pause works its way in and I hold my breath in anticipation, "go on a date when you come back."

It takes far more effort than I'd like to not just say "YES" right away.

Instead, I opt to comment, "Pretty reckless of you, asking that with the knowledge that I'm leaving. Besides, it could be months, even a year, before I return. I wouldn't want to keep you waiting long."

"I think you're worth the wait. And I'm not just saying that because you're cute either." I feel my pulse jump at that. While I'm busy trying to think of how to best reply with an agreement to go with him, he says, "Something in my gut tells me I'd be stupid to let you just slip away before I really got to know you. Now, what do you say?"

"I'll be looking forward to our date when I come back then."

Throwing my phone back onto the nightstand, I shift to look back at the ceiling, wondering about what exactly I'm getting myself into. I'm certainly nervous, both in a serious and excited way, because I don't know what variables the future is waiting to drop on me. I worked through today though, so I have confidence that, even with a packed schedule, I can think of a way to sneak in a date with Kotetsu when I return. Breathing out a sigh, at last, I drift off to sleep, head happily spinning with ideas of taking him to a party, the café from today's photoshoot, or maybe to the beach if he'd be interested in that.

I know I'm a very busy man. But I'm sure I can find a way to squeeze some time in for him.