On the Street of Dreams
I Want Us To Be A Family Series
Written by: chochowilliams
Disclaimer: I do not own Gravitation or the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Summary: What was supposed to be a one-night stand, changes their lives forever.
Warning: AU, Shouta, Angst, Drama, Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Family, Fantasy, M-Preg, Language, M/M, Hentai, OCs, OOC, Hermaphrodites (referred to as "Neutrals")
Pairings: Shuichi/Eiri, Shuichi/Taki, Shuichi/OMC, Ryuichi/Tatsuha, one-sided Eiri/Ayaka
Inserts: Recap from chapter 1
A/N: Enjoy!
oOo
Last Time
In a breathy voice, Shuichi whispered, "Do it! God! Do it!"
With a growl, Eiri sat back on his knees and lifted the boy's narrow hips. He pulled the boy none too gently towards him. Grabbing his own throbbing, member, he set it against Shuichi's opening and with a flex of his hips, rammed himself into his young lover until his balls slapped against his behind.
Shuichi arched off the bed and threw his head back, screaming as a jolt of pain raced like lightening up his spine. He clawed at the quilt beneath him. He clamped down around the large invader inside of him. Tears of pain trickled down his face.
Eiri cried out, thrusting deeper into his lover in response. Panting heavily, he paused and glanced down at the boy, watching as he shifted himself to get comfortable and the pain receded. "Are you okay?" he panted heavily.
Shuichi nodded, panting, as he wrapped his legs around Eiri's waist. "Yes," he said breathlessly.
"Are you sure? I don't want to hurt you." Neither did he want to stop. They had come too far to turn back. Maybe he should have prepped the boy, but he was too impatient to do that.
"You won't," Shuichi assured with a shake of his head. "Trust me."
oOo
Chapter 2: Saying Goodbye
By the time Shuichi made it back "home", it was nearly three o'clock in the afternoon, which gave him three and a half hours until the meeting with Mr. Matsusaki at L8r Records.
Shuichi stood on the front stoop, staring blankly at the front door, unable to get his feet to carry him any further, not that he could not blame them. The less interaction he had with the house the better. That neither of his parents nor Maiko would be home yet was hardly the point. The house held too many painful memories for him. He felt suffocated with the boundaries of the house.
Unfortunately, he did not have much choice unless he wanted to negotiate a recording contract in last night's clothing.
Fighting the urge to pop a handful of pills Kizou provided for a little added courage, Shuichi steeled himself to enter the lions' den.
oOo
Unnoticed by the pink haired sixteen year old, a silver Trailblazer pulled up in front of the Shindou house. Silence reigned upon the neighborhood as its engines were cut. Out of the SUV stepped two men. The first stood at nearly six-feet tall with unruly dark hair and eyes, wearing jeans and a black shirt. His passenger stood on the other side of the truck smiling. This man, who was no more than five-foot-four, had a black Stetson over brown shoulder length hair. His sparkling brown eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses, but his small toned body was shown off by his tight jeans and white shirt. Together, the two men watched the boy on the front porch.
Ryuichi felt like a heavy weight had been lifted when he saw Shuichi. Tatsuha thought he was an idiot, and had no qualms with saying so on a regular basis, for worrying about Shuichi so much, but Ryuichi did not care. So he was a tad overprotective of his baby Shu-Shu. So what? Someone had to be.
A frown crossed the older singer's face as he took in the wrinkled, rumbled clothes and disheveled hair. Was Shuichi just getting home? Just where had he been all night? Rounding the car, he laid a hand on Tatsuha's arm and strode towards the house. "Shuichi," he called softly.
The teen gasped and jumped, obviously startled. Spinning around, a hand over his racing heart, Shuichi stared blankly at the man before him. "Ryu?" he breathed as if he could not believe his eyes.
Ryuichi stepped towards Shuichi with a grin. "Hey."
Tears blurring his vision, Shuichi flung himself at his brother with a sob. "I'm so glad your home!"
Ryuichi hugged Shuichi tightly as the boy clung to him. "Me, too, Shu-Shu. Me, too." Ryuichi smiled at his boyfriend over his shoulder.
Tatsuha smiled back, elated at the sight before him.
"Ya know," Ryuichi said to the human leech wrapped around his waist. "I saw your concert last night and I thought you guys were great."
Shuichi lifted a tear and snot covered face with a gasp so swiftly at that it was a wonder he did not develop whiplash. He stared at his brother wide eyes. "What? You did?"
Grinning, Ryuichi nodded, feeling a renewed surge of pride for his baby Shu-Shu. "Yep! We took an earlier flight home just so we could come check you out. I even know you won that contract with L8r Records." He pouted. "I wanted to come see you afterwards, but Tohma said it would be a bad idea."
Shuichi giggled and wiped his face with the sleeve of his large button down shirt, shaking his head. "It's okay," he admitted. Stepping back, he grinned happily at his brother. Suddenly he felt a lot better than he had mere moments ago. "So, you really thought we were good? What did you think of the song? Did you like it? Oh! And what about the Mad Doggs and that other band, whatever they were called? Did you like them? I thought they were okay, but-"
"You guys were the best band there hands down," Ryuichi assured his brother.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Now, come on. Let's get you cleaned up. Tohma wants us to be at Club Bokki at four."
Shuichi cocked his head, his brows drawn together in confusion. "Club Bokki? Isn't that-?"
"A gay nightclub, yes." Ryuichi studied his brother closely. "And how would you know that?"
A reddish tint colored Shuichi's face. Clearing his throat, he turned his attention away from his older brother's penetrating gaze. "Why does Tohma want to see us?" he asked, changing the subject.
Determined not to let the subject drop, Ryuichi filed it away for later and shrugged. "C'mon, Tatsu. I'll make some tea." Ryuichi led them both to the house. "I have no idea why Tohma wants to see us," he told Shuichi as he unlocked the front door. "All I know is that he called me this afternoon and said to 'gather the troops'."
As Shuichi chucked off his shoes and put on his house slippers, he asked his brother what that was supposed to mean. It made Tohma sound like a General.
"I'm assuming you, Hiro and Fujisaki, plus me and Noriko."
"Why?" Tatsuha asked his boyfriend as he followed the man towards the kitchen. "You guys just got off tour last night. Couldn't he give you at least one day to rest before he calls a war council?"
"Who knows why Tohma does the things he does. We'll just have to wait and see."
As Shuichi headed up the stairs towards the bathroom, he wondered what General Seguchi wanted and hoped that whatever it was, the man made it fast because Bad Luck had a meeting they had to get to.
oOo
After a shower and a fresh change of clothes, those being a pair of fitted black jeans, a short sleeved white silk button down shirt over a green T-shirt and his ankle boots, Shuichi found himself in the backseat of Tatsuha's silver SUV.
He was glad to be out of that house. That house was a vampire. It sucked the life and joy right out of you, but as soon as he stepped out that door that heavy, desolate feeling was gone, leaving only an unsettling feeling behind that quickly dissipated. It was no wonder most nights he arranged to sleep elsewhere.
Shuichi shifted his small shoulder bag and studied the profile of his brother's boyfriend as they drove through the early evening traffic that clogged Kyoto. Tatsuha's dark hair and eyes momentarily were replaced with dark blond hair and golden eyes in Shuichi's mind. Tatsuha really did look like the gorgeous writer from last night. Maybe that was why the guy seemed so familiar, because he reminded him of Tatsuha. "Um, Tatsuha?" Shuichi asked the driver timidly.
Tatsuha stopped at a red light and glanced at the boy briefly before turning his attention to the stoplight. "What?"
"Um, do you…do you have a brother by chance?"
With a quirked eyebrow, Tatsuha studied Shuichi in the rearview mirror. The boy's face was pink and he avoided looking at him. He wondered. "Yeah, actually. I thought I told you about him."
Ryuichi touched his lover's knees and pointed out the windshield. The light had change.
Tatsuha blasted through the intersection. "He's a romance writer of all things," Tatsuha continued with a roll of his eyes.
Shuichi's eyes flashed in recognition. His heart started pounding in his chest. "Does he look like you?" he asked.
"Identical."
"They're twins," Ryuichi supplied. He turned in his seat as far as the seatbelt would let him. "Eiri's like the negative image of Tatsu, like the albino of the Uesugi clan. Just without the red eyes."
Tatsuha slapped Ryuichi's arm and mock glared at him. Ryuichi laughed and looked innocently at his boyfriend.
"Eiri," Shuichi repeated softly. He like the way it sounded. He could not help a blush that colored his face as he remembered the events of the night before. He wondered what the man was doing right now. Was he thinking about him?
"Yep. Blond hair, light eyes and pale skin. He smokes, drinks, is a fully trained monk, hates my father, stays locked in his apartment and writes trashy dime store novels that every female in the country eats up and is a cold bastard that would rather slit his own throat then show any sort of emotion to anyone."
As they slowed down and Tatsuha pulled into an empty spot along the curb in front of the club, Shuichi could not stop a smile that lit his face as he thought about his lover. Eiri Uesugi. According to Tatsuha, the man was supposed to be cold, distance, and a recluse, but the Eiri he met the night before was very different from the Eiri Tatsuha was describing. The Eiri who had made sweet love to him last night had been sweet, gentle and kind. They stayed up all night making love and Eiri had been like an antique dealer going over a fine period piece. Shuichi felt like a princess whose prince had come to rescue her. He thought he was never again going to see the mysterious writer, who in one night seemed to have somehow stolen his heart, but if he was Tatsuha's brother, then maybe…
Wait a minute! Ryuichi said that Eiri and Tatsuha were twins, right? That meant that…
"Tatsuha?" Shuichi asked as the three of them walked through a red steel door and down a narrow, gloomy staircase. "How old are you?"
"Twenty-two, why?"
Shuichi stumbled, nearing falling down the stairs, but caught himself, saving himself from a dangerous drop. Twenty-two? He felt his heart drop. His face fell. "No reason," he lied. Eiri was Tatsuha's twin brother which meant that the writer was also six years his senior.
Standing in the middle of the deserted gay nightclub, Tatsuha and Ryuichi glanced questioningly at each other then at the boy.
Shuichi looked like his puppy was just put to sleep. That was exactly how he felt, too. According to the law, he was still technically a minor and Eiri could get in big trouble if it became known that he slept with a "child that was unable to think clearly and make rational decisions for him/herself". He did not want to get Eiri into any trouble. The writer was one of the nicest people Shuichi ever met. He was not all jumpy, hyperactive and overtly familiar like his fans. He was not cold and detached like his parents and even his younger sister. Eiri was not like his friends who seemed to either be overtly protective or put up with his crap just because they were friends. No, Eiri had treated him like a person, an actual to God person and Shuichi liked that.
Eiri's face popped into his mind. He remembered those strong, powerful hands touching him, caressing him with gentleness and expertise, those broad, muscular shoulders rising above him, the taste and smell of tobacco on his soft lips, the powerful thrust of his manhood as it slid into him. He could remember Eiri's deep guttural groans and cries as he climaxed.
Shuichi's breath hitched and tears filled his eyes.
He wanted to see Eiri again, wanted to feel safe within those strong arms as they wrapped around him and hugged him tightly. Just to be in the same room as him, to be enveloped in his musky cologne was enough, but it would never be. Their one night had to remain just that, one night; otherwise, Eiri would be arrested for statutory rape and Shuichi would never be able to forgive himself if that happened.
Ryuichi stepped forward and laid a hand on Shuichi's shoulder, a frown on his face. "Shuichi?"
Shuichi jumped, startled out of his thoughts. "Huh?"
"Are you alright? Do you want to talk about it?"
The boy forced a smile onto his face and shuffled his thoughts aside. "I'm fine. Really."
"Shu-"
"Excuse me," Shuichi interrupted his brother, his voice tight. "I have to use the bathroom."
Ryuichi was left to stare after his younger brother in confusion. "What…?" He glanced at Tatsuha in confusion. Something was definitely going on with that kid.
Tatsuha watched the pink haired boy vanish into the bathroom. He had a feeling he knew what was going on. If he was right, things could get a bit complicated.
oOo
Shuichi slammed into the bathroom and fled into the first stall he saw. Locking the door behind him, he sat on the toilet and pulled his tan bag onto his lap. He held off as long as he could, but these emotions were killing him! He needed the bad feelings to go away. He needed to be happy, to smile, and to laugh. He could not be all pouty, sad, and crying over a lost love. No, not today.
Panting heavily, he opened his bag with shaking hands and fumbled through all the crap he had until he found the orange prescription bottle. Sobbing, Shuichi fumbled with the cap. Forgetting he had to press it down and twist, he jerked at it, pulling and tugging. Irritated, Shuichi growled and banged the bottle against his leg. He used his nails and tried to pry the top off, but failed. He clutched the bottle tightly, his knuckles turning white and growled, sobbing in frustration. One last time, he tried to get the cap off, but could not. Gritting his teeth, he sobbed his impatience and annoyance.
"Goddamn piece of crap!"
He whipped the bottle into the stall door. It hit with a loud clatter and bounced off. Huffing, his hands fisted, Shuichi watched angrily as the pill bottle rattled to the floor and rolled out of the stall, vanishing from view.
Panting, his anger boiling, Shuichi glared at the spot where the bottle disappeared. As quickly as the temper tantrum appeared, it vanished. He was left feeling drained and exhausted.
Tears filled his eyes and his jaw trembled as a sob echoed in the red and black tiled bathroom. Dropping his head, he buried his face in his hands and sobbed. His small frame shook as he cried.
oOo
Shuichi had no idea how long he sat on the toilet bawling his eyes out like a baby. But by the time he was able to get hold of himself, he felt physically, mentally and emotionally drained. All he wanted to do was go home and sleep.
Unlocking the stall door, he walked over to the sinks and splashed some cold water onto his face. Gripping the edge of the sink, he hung his head and let the water drip off his face. He lifted his head and stared at his reflection. His eyes were puffy and bloodshot. His face was red and splotchy.
Sighing, he straightened, but jumped nearly out of his skin as a shotgun blast tore through the bathroom, startling him back to reality. A hand over a rapidly beating heart, Shuichi sighed deeply as the door to the bathroom swung open. A genuine smile brightened his face as a familiar head poked inside.
"Hey," greeted the longhaired guitarist with a smile.
"Hey, Hiro," Shuichi said as his gathered his wits. He pushed away from the sink and walked towards the paper towel dispenser on the wall.
Hiro pushed open the door and leaned against it, crossing his arms over his chest. "You okay?"
Turning his back to his friend, Shuichi's smile slipped, replaced by a frown as he tore some paper towels out of the wall mount. Patting his face dry, Shuichi forced a chuckle. "Ryu sent you, huh?"
"Yeah," Hiro admitted, scratching his head. "He's worried about you."
Shuichi nodded. "Well, he doesn't need to be. I'm fine." Crumbling the paper towels, he tossed them in the trash and strode confidently out of the bathroom, a fake smile on his face. "C'mon! Let's go see what General Seguchi wants."
Hiro watched his friend with a frown as he practically skipped out across the empty dance floor and up the center staircase towards one of the VIP rooms near the DJ booth. Pushing away from the door, the guitarist sighed. As he turned, something out of the corner of his eyes caught his attention. Curious, he walked into the bathroom and picked it up. It was a plain, orange prescription pill bottle. Hiro glanced at the closet bathroom door with a frown.
"What have you gotten yourself into, Shuichi?"
oOo
The study was shrouded in shadow. The shades were closed. The blackout curtains drawn. The sound of traffic and chatter filtered into the room from the open window. The air stank with the scent of stale cigarette smoke.
A wisp of smoke shot into the air and the butt was crushed out in the ashtray along with its brethren. The man then sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. Clasping his hands behind his head, he stretched out on the sofa in his study and stared blankly at the ceiling. The sudden shrill ringing of the phone erupted through the house. His gaze flicked to the extension on the desk, but otherwise he ignored it.
He had been an hour late to his meeting this morning with his agent and to say the least, Mizuki had been just a wee bit ticked. She quickly forgave him when he presented his latest novel to her, a week early. "Don't get used to it," he'd warned. What she had not been too pleased about was his request to reschedule the interview he had for next weekend. "I'll see what I can do, Mr. Yuki, but I'm not promising anything," she'd told him. Getting her to agree to reschedule the interview was easier than he thought it would be. Usually, she would lay a heavy guilt trip on him to try to get him to recant, but this time he was the one who plastered her with a thick guilt trip and then sprinkled just a little blackmail onto the mix. Seeing as he had not been consulted when she arranged the meeting in the first place, he figured she owed him.
Dropping his hands, Eiri sat up and swung his legs to the floor. He rubbed his hands over his face, dreading having to leave the relative coolness of the study.
When he'd returned from the meeting, he learned that his air conditioner had broken down. Instead of taking the ancient piece of crap in to be repaired, he decided to just toss it out and get a new one. A quick search on the internet and he had a new one that was going to be delivered and installed sometime tomorrow afternoon. Until then, he was hiding out in the study, which was the coolest room in the house. It would have been easier to just take his sorry, lazy ass to the store and purchase one. That way, he would have his blessed AC in a matter of hours instead of being forced to wait.
Standing up, he stepped out of his study and into the hallway. The humidity hit him like a slap upside the head. Eiri immediately started sweating. He swore it was cooler outside than it was inside his apartment. Maybe he should just look into moving. Preferably an apartment with central air.
As he walked into the kitchen, propping open the door on the way, he noticed the light on the answering machine was blinking. He pressed the play button as he veered straight to the fridge for a beer.
"You have one new message. Message one. Friday, July 1, two-forty-five pm," the mechanical voice stated. There was a beep and a familiar voice filled the kitchen. "Hey, Yuki. I called Mr. Takabayashi and it's a no go. He said next Saturday at three-thirty or nothing. Give me a call. Bye." There was another beep, then silence.
Eiri leaned against the counter and popped open the top of his beer. So he had to choose, huh? Either being thrown to the wolves or spend the evening with Satan. Hm. That was a hard decision. He took a long swig of his beer, deep in thought.
Mr. Yusuke Takabayashi was one of the most respected people in the business. Apparently, not just anybody was given the chance to sit down with him. He was "The Man". Well, whoop-dee-freaking-doo. He felt so honored. You must excuse him if he did not leap for joy. Bad knees, you know. Eiri would prefer not to have this bozo pry into his affairs, but it was better than visiting his spawn of the devil father, whose only purpose in having a family dinner was to pester him about his so-called "responsibility to the family". Meaning, finding a wife and producing an heir. Whatever. If his father wanted an heir so badly, he could produce his own.
A picture of a small, lithe boy with spiky pink hair and intense amethyst eye flashed through his mind. Shaking his head, Eiri pushed away from the counter and dumped his nearly untouched beer down the drain before exiting the kitchen. As he passed the phone, it rang. Again, he ignored it.
In his study, he grabbed his wallet, sunglasses and keys. The answering machine was just clicking on when he stepped into the hall.
"Eiri," snapped a female voice. "Eiri, I know you're there! Pick up!"
Eiri snorted and slipped into his shoes by the front door. "Not in this lifetime," he muttered.
"Fine, be that way, but Father wanted me to remind you about dinner next week. Six sharp. Be there." The sound of buzzing filled the apartment before a beep was heard.
It really was a shame he would not be attending the prestigious family dinner. He would be, unfortunately, in Tokyo all weekend. Damn! And he had so wanted to see and spend some time with his dear ol' father.
He, actually, had no plans of going to visit his father until he gave up on this marriage crap. This was his life and he was damn well going to live it the way he damn well wanted.
Eiri stormed out of the apartment, shutting and locking the door behind him.
oOo
Hiro had no idea why Tohma Seguchi decided to have this meeting with the members of Nittle Grasper and Bad Luck and in a gay nightclub of all places. There must be other, better, locations for a meeting.
He leaned against the wall and studied the others.
Tatsuha, who had driven both Ryuichi and Shuichi, had his arm around his boyfriend's shoulders. The two of them snuggled together on the couch, talking to a very pregnant Noriko who was sitting besides them. Suguru was sitting in one armchair and Shuichi was in the other-a vacant, far away look on his face as he stared blankly at the floor with a frown on his face. The man of the hour stood in the doorway of the private VIP room with a smile of his own on his face. The only person not present was Yuji. He was supposed to have come so they could go directly to L8r Records for their meetings, but unfortunately, his brother was not feeling well and had to bail out on the whole affair. Hiro only hoped that Ryuichi agreed to come otherwise they were screwed.
Tohma cleared his throat, calling them to attention. Immediately, silence descended upon the room and all eyes turned towards the small man in his black bowl hat. Hiro had always been in awe of the way Tohma could command an audience like that. "Thank you all for coming."
"What's this about, Tohma?" Noriko asked her fellow keyboardist with a hand on her swollen stomach.
"Is this gonna take long?" Suguru asked his cousin. "Cause we have a meeting-"
"That's why I called you all here," Tohma explained.
Hiro and Suguru exchanged mystified glances. Hiro turned towards Shuichi but the pink haired singer was still off in his own world. It appeared as if he were not even paying attention to anything going on around him. Hiro frowned and caught Suguru's questioning glance, who could only shrug in answer. Hiro had no idea what was wrong with his friend, but whatever it was, he had better snap out of it.
"That makes no sense, Tohma," Ryuichi said, bringing the two boys back to the present.
"Patience, Ryu," Tohma told his friend. He glanced around at the others, studying each one. "I'm sure you heard the rumors about the trouble L8r Records has been facing these past few months."
While the others glanced at one another in confusion, Suguru searched his brain. He could remember hearing something about the record company, but he could not quite remember what. "Was it…Did it have something to do with…management, or something?" He scratched his head in confusion.
"Something like that."
Apparently, the current L8r Records president staged a coup with the help of some key board members. But not all of the artists signed onto what had been the hottest record label in Japan at one point were satisfied with the change in leadership. So, one by one, L8r Records' top artists all began to leave. Without the revenue of those big moneymakers, the record company began to sink faster than the Titanic. It was only with the help of Nittle Grasper, who decided to remain steadfastly loyal to the only record company that had decided to take a chance on a bunch of no name nobodies all of those years ago, that L8r Records had been able to stay afloat for as long as they have. But that did not stop the flood of other artists from jumping ship. To help the record company stay buoyant, Mr. Kiaki Matsusaki decided to hire some fresh new faces, but Tohma had had his doubts. Just bringing in some new blood was not going to help the record company. They needed more money than they had in order to produce these news artists. They would be spending more money then they were bringing in. If something did not change, L8r Records would close their doors for good in a matter of months and that was not something Tohma would allow. He, Ryuichi and Noriko worked too long and too hard to see it all circle the drain now. Yes, any record company would be ready and willing to take them on. Any demands they made would be granted just so that company could get them on their label, but that was not what Tohma wanted. No, he decided it was time for Nittle Grasper to break away and put their future in their own hands.
"All morning I was in a meeting with the various board members and investors and as of two-thirty this afternoon, L8r Records has officially become known as NG Productions, under the direct control of Nittle Grasper," Tohma told them.
Blank faces stared back at him. Expressions of disbelief filled the room.
"Yeah, right," Noriko laughed. "You bought L8r Records-and in one day."
"I did."
Noriko's laughter stopped short, like a switch had been flicked. "Are you serious?" she asked in disbelief. "You…"
"We are now in direct control of our careers. We can make the music we've always wanted to make, without having the suits breathing down our neck."
Ryuichi jumped up from the couch with a cry and bounded over towards his friend. Laughing, he flung himself at Tohma, hugging him. "That's great Tohma! Congratulations!"
Tohma patted Ryuichi's back. "Thank you, Ryu."
The others crowded around the new CEO, echoing Ryuichi's sentiments. They all talked at once, wanting to know every detail, smiling and laughing, all of them except Noriko who was staring at the gathered group with a frown. She appeared to be deep in thought. "Tohma," she called softly. "What're you trying to pull?"
Tohma smiled at her. "I am not trying to pull anything, Noriko."
"If Tohma wouldn't have bought out your record company, you guys would be out of a job," Suguru told the older woman.
"Is that true?" Ryuichi asked Tohma in surprise, hanging from the man's neck.
"So, it seems," Tohma told him.
"So," Noriko said as she gritted her teeth and pushing herself up off the couch with a stop and go movement, "you think you can do for the company what Mr. Matsusaki and the others could not?"
"Yes, I do."
Noriko studied Tohma as she waddled her way across the room. Whatever she saw must have reassured her and soothed her doubts for she said, "I'm counting on you, Tohma."
As the conversation flowed around him, Hiro was suddenly hit with a realization. If Tohma Seguchi bought out L8r Records and was the new CEO, that meant the contract the old CEO offered them just last night was no longer valid. Disappointment flooded through Hiro. He grabbed Suguru's arm.
"Hiro, what-?"
He steered the younger man away from the gathered group towards where Shuichi still sat on the couch.
"Hiro, what's wrong?"
Shuichi looked up and watched his two friends with a blank look.
"Don't you understand? Tohma bought out L8R Records."
"Yeah, we all just heard him."
Hiro was exasperated that his friends were this thick. "And that means that the people we talked to last night are no longer employed at the record company." He stared down at Shuichi. The pink haired singer was looking at him, but Hiro was not sure if he actually heard him.
Suguru blinked, not sure what Hiro was getting at. Then it hit him. "Ah!" How could he have let something this huge slip past unnoticed? "Damn!" He and Hiro turned back towards the others, a panicked look on his face. "Tohma! Last night, at the battle, we-"
Tohma nodded, holding up his hand. "I know."
"What?" Suguru glanced at Hiro in confusion. "You know?" he asked, turning back.
"Yes and I plan to honor Bad Luck's contract."
"What? Really? Yes!" Suguru threw his hands in the air and shouted.
"Thank you, Tohma," Hiro bowed, grinning.
"Oh, man, Hiro! Did you hear?" Suguru flung himself at Hiro, laughing. "I can't believe it! We did it!"
Their excitement was contagious. The others clapped and whistled, giving the boys their best wishes.
"Congratulations," Ryuichi cried. "I can't believe it! You guys finally did it!"
"Yeah, you guys deserve it," Noriko said smiling.
Suguru let go of his friend and turned still smiling towards the others. "You'll not regret it, Tohma!"
"I hope not, Suguru," Tohma cautioned him.
As the others crowded the smaller man, congratulating him, Hiro turned towards their lead singer. "Shuichi isn't it great?" Hiro asked, still grinning. Their dream was coming true! His smile faltered. "Shuichi?"
The only one not taking part in all the excitement was Shuichi. He sat in the armchair staring at the others blankly. He did not take part in the impromptu congratulatory celebration. Their laughter and excitement over these new turn of events washed over him. When he heard that L8r Records was bought out, he should have freaked out at the possibility that what he and his band mates sought so long and hard to achieve was going to be taken from them just as they reached their goal. He should be shouting and jumping for joy.
Should've.
Could've.
Would've.
Isn't.
The only thing Shuichi could think about was one Eiri Uesugi, his forbidden lover, and the fact that if it got out they had slept together, especially seeing as Eiri was a hotshot, famous romance writer and a prominent citizen in the community…
Shuichi did not want to cause Eiri any trouble. Last night, it seemed as if the writer did not care about the fact that Shuichi was underage. He claimed it was because he was horny. It could be because he was some sicko pervert, or something, but once they were in that hotel room...
Shuichi was not sure how he knew, but he had a feeling there was more to the mysterious writer then met the eye. If Eiri had been some perverted freak preying on young boys, or just some horny guy looking for a quick fuck, then why would he have been so gentle, so kind and loving? Why would he have taken him to one of the area's swankiest hotels? Then there was the ring he left behind. Shuichi clutched the silver ring hidden under his shirt.
A picture of a tall, pale man with yellow blond hair and golden eyes flashed through his mind. An overwhelming urge to see his forbidden lover came over him. They may have just met, but Shuichi missed his writer so much, it was pathetic. He wanted to be wrapped up in his strong embrace, feel those lush lips and gentle touch. He wanted to taste his cigarette-flavored mouth…
Shuichi took in a shuttering breath and slowly let it out, trying to calm himself down.
He wanted to, no, needed to see Eiri, but he had no idea where to even start looking. Shuichi glanced at Tatsuha who was talking to Ryuichi and Tohma. Both men were laughing and smiling. Noriko sat in the other armchair, listening to their conversation. Huddled together, whispering and taking poignant glances at him were Hiro and Suguru. He ignored them and swung his gaze back towards Tatsuha. It was amazing how much alike they were. Take away the black hair and eyes and you would have Eiri. Just having his brother-in-law in the same room with him intensified the need to see Eiri. He could always ask Tatsuha where his brother lived, but that would bring unwanted questions.
All talk suddenly stopped.
"Moving," Ryuichi repeated, as if he needed to be assured he had not been hearing things. He glanced at Tatsuha, gripping his hand.
Noriko wiggled herself to the edge of the chair. "You can't mean for all of us to move to Tokyo."
Shuichi glanced from her to Tohma, waiting with batted breath along with the others.
"Yes, I am," Tohma said confidently.
Gasps and startled whispers followed this statement.
Shuichi slumped back in the chair, pale faced and in total shock. Tokyo? Tohma wanted to move the record company from Kyoto to Tokyo? Was he serious? A picture of Eiri flashed through his mind. Tokyo? Shuichi groaned. He leaned his head back against the top of the chair and stared blankly at the black tiled ceiling. This was not happening! Why did things always have to come in sets? Why did good news always come with bad news? Was he cursed?
He had no idea what to do. He really wanted to do this, not just for himself but also for the guys. They have all worked so hard to get to this point and he did not want to be the one to spoil it for them. He could not let Hiro and Suguru down, but what about Eiri? On one hand, this move would ensure that the writer would not get into any trouble by having an underaged lover. On the other hand, Shuichi felt the strong urge to be selfish for once and tell Tohma to hell with the damned contract. He wanted to flick off the law and flaunt his and Eiri's relationship in their faces. He had never done something just for him. Everything had been to please his friends and family. Just this once, he wanted to be selfish. He wanted Eiri.
"I have a meeting with several contractors to go over possible locations for the headquarters of NG in the morning," Tohma was saying. "I am not sure if a new building will be built or if we can find a suitable building we can remodel. Whatever we decide, the move will not happen for at least a year. Until then we will continue to use the L8r Records building."
Shuichi sighed in relief. So, they had a year, huh?
Noriko shook her head. "Tohma. You can't just decide something like this! We all have lives and family here! And you just expect us to just up and leave?"
Tohma nodded. "Yes, I do."
"What about Mika," she pressed. "Do you really think your wife would appreciate away from her family?"
"I already talked to her. She has no qualms about it."
"Tohma," Noriko sighed, shaking her head. "My husband-"
"I have taken care of all of it, Noriko. Do not worry." He checked his watch. "But I have to cut this short. I have dinner plans with Mika and then I am taking the train to Tokyo for the meeting tomorrow."
"But Tohma!"
Tohma turned towards the members of Bad Luck. "I will call and set up a dinner meeting where I can talk with all of your parents and go over the contract and discuss the problems you may have about this relocation."
"Okay," Suguru nodded.
"Sure," Hiro shrugged.
Shuichi looked away from Tohma's penetrating eyes.
Tohma then turned to address his fellow band mates. "I will set up a meeting with you and your husband when I return," he told Noriko.
"Tohma."
"Ryu-"
"I really don't want to move to Tokyo, Tohma," Ryuichi told his friend. His and Tatsuha's family were here. Besides, Tatsuha was a monk and helped at his family's temple. If he had to move, then his lover might not be forced to stay behind. Ryuichi was not sure if he could handle that. He wrapped Tatsuha's arms around himself and forced back his tears.
Tatsuha hugged his lover tight and kissed the back of his head, knowing exactly what the slightly older man was thinking. "I think it would be great to move to Tokyo. I've always wanted to go there."
Ryuichi blinked and turned to face Tatsuha. "Really? You'd come with me?"
Tatsuha rolled his eyes. "Duh! You're mine Ryu and I won't let you go."
"Tatsu," Ryuichi cried, flinging himself at the other man.
Tohma continued to smile. "Now that that's settled…" He turned towards Bad Luck. "I will try to set up the meeting for next weekend so keep your calendars free. Noriko, I will contact you when I return."
"So we're done," Shuichi assumed.
"Yes, Shuichi. We are."
Sighing, Shuichi grabbed his backpack off the floor next to the chair and fled from the club as if a demon was hot on his heels.
Hiro, with Suguru not far behind, raced after Shuichi. As he ran down the metal staircase and across the dance floor, he felt the pill bottle he had placed in the front pocket of his sleeveless hoodie bounce against him. The pills rattled and clanked. Even if he had to beat his best friend upside the head, he would find out what these pills were and what was going on with him.
At a more leisurely pace, Tohma, Noriko, Ryuichi and Tatsuha made their way down the wide metal staircase. They looked up as the sound of a door clunked open and closed.
"Did Shu seem-I don't know…kinda quite?" Ryuichi asked aloud.
"Ryu," Noriko scolded.
Tohma chuckled. "Ryuichi, you really need to stop mothering Shuichi."
Tatsuha poked his boyfriend in the side with his free hand. "Told ya," he whispered in Ryuichi's ear.
Ryuichi giggled and wiggled away from Tatsuha's idle hand. "Stop that," he scolded.
"He's sixteen years old, Ryu," Noriko was saying. "He can take care of himself. He does not need you to hold his hand anymore, but he did seem a bit quiet. But I'm sure whatever is bothering him, he can handle and if he can't then hopefully he'll come to us for help." She shrugged.
Tatsuha frowned as he followed Tohma and Noriko up the staircase to the club's front door. He was not sure if Shuichi would feel comfortable coming to them for help in this situation.
"Hey, Tohma," Noriko said as soon as they stepped into the late afternoon sun. "Why did you have us meet here instead of at, say, your house, or something?"
Tohma locked the heavy steel door and then pocketed the keys. "I thought it would be nice to start the next chapter of our lives by returning to where it all started," he said as he turned towards them.
"What?" Noriko and Ryuichi glanced at each other in confusion. "Tohma, we never played here."
Tatsuha turned to study the front of the building. He had not paid attention when they first arrived, but now that he took the time to think about it, the place did seem familiar. Or maybe it was just that this club reminded him of another one.
"It's had a change of ownership and has been gutted and remodeled, but we have been here before," Tohma corrected.
Noriko studied her friend closely through squinted eyes. She placed her hands on her hips, centering her bulbous weight and glared at the man. She reminded Ryuichi of a teacher he had in elementary school that looked like that when she reprimanding her rowdy students. "You own this place, don't you," she accused.
"What?" Tatsuha and Ryuichi turned stunned faces to Tohma. "You own the newest, hottest gay club in Kyoto," Tatsuha accused.
"Yes."
"Why? When did this happen?" Noriko asked.
"When Koshoku went bankrupt several months ago, I decided to buy it as an investment piece. To say the least, it has paid off."
'Koshoku'? Why did…? Ryuichi's eyes widened. "We played our first gig here!"
"What? Is that true?" Noriko asked in disbelief.
Before he could answer, Tohma's cellphone rang. He excused himself and answered it. A couple seconds later, he returned. "Sorry, guys. I really must go."
A honk from behind them had them turning. A bright smile lit Noriko's face. "It looks like my ride's here," she told them. Saying her goodbyes, the pregnant keyboardist waddled her way to the white car idling by the curb. With a final wave, she hopped in and the car sped off down the street, vanishing into the late afternoon traffic.
Tohma turned towards Tatsuha and Ryuichi and bowed. "Until later." He darted across the street and vanished into the crowd.
Tatsuha sighed. "Let's collect Shu and go home," he suggested.
"Good idea."
Both men looked around for the pink haired singer, only to discover he was nowhere in sight. What they did see were a breathless Hiro and Suguru at the corner, their faces red from excursion and dripping with sweat.
Frantic with worry, Ryuichi bolted towards the boys. "Hiro! Suguru! Where is Shuichi? What happened?"
Hiro exchanged a look with Suguru. "Uh, well, ya see…"
"We lost him," Suguru confessed.
Ryuichi blinked uncomprehendingly. "You lost him," he stared calmly.
Hiro scratched his head. "I wanted to talk to him about a few things, but when I called out to him, he just darted out into the street and hopped into this black foreign car."
"You lost him," Ryuichi accused angrily. "How could you let him get into a stranger's car?" he shouted.
Passersby turned and stared at them curiously.
A black foreign car? Tatsuha wondered.
"See, that's the thing," Hiro told his best friend's brother quickly.
"It seemed as if he knew the driver," Suguru finished.
While Ryuichi looked angry at the boys for letting Shuichi run off and confused as he thought about who Shuichi might know that owned a foreign car, Tatsuha on the other hand had a very good feeling he knew whom Shuichi was with. However, he was unsure if he should tell Ryuichi. How do you go about telling someone his baby brother was with an older man? Beat the hell out of him.
oOo
A bell tinkled softly when the door opened. Complete with cowboy hat and a pair of dark sunglasses, Ryuichi walked into the family owned diner with Tatsuha right behind him. Ryuichi sighed contently as a cool blast of cold air hit him. It was so hot outside; you could literally fry an egg on the sidewalk. And that wasn't just a metaphor either. One time he was watching a home improvement show on television where the host cracked an egg on the sidewalk in front of the house they were working on. It was so hot outside that day that the egg had actually begun to cook. That was how hot it felt out today. While summer was his favorite time of year, this humidity was beyond ridiculous.
The diner was small and unnoticeable from the outside. There was a used bookstore to one side and a dry cleaners on the other. Both stores had dirty, grimy storefronts and looked eerily desolate. The small diner did not look any better. There was no sign. The bottom half of the front windows were covered in colored sticky paper. The top half had a faux frosty look. In all appearances, the building appeared vacant, but that was why Ryuichi liked it. If you did not know it was here then all you saw was a string of storefronts that appeared deserted. The diner got by on word of mouth alone. Though there was talk of fixing the neighborhood up. Neither men was sure what they thought of that.
Ryuichi led Tatsuha to a back table, saying hello to the waitress behind the counter.
Moments later, the waitress walked up to the table and handed the two men a menu.
"That's alright," Tatsuha told her. "We'll both have the special and iced tea."
"Okay," she nodded. "Baked potato or fries?"
"Fries," Ryuichi said.
"Baked potato," Tatsuha told her.
She wrote there choices on her pad. "Soup or salad?"
"We'll both have the egg drop soup."
"Alright." She smiled and told them their drinks would be right out. She then turned and went to place their order.
Ryuichi excused himself and Tatsuha watched as he vanished into the bathroom.
The waitress sidled up to the table moments later and placed two condensation-dripping cups on the table.
"Thank you," Tatsuha smiled.
"You're welcome."
Tatsuha watched her move to another table to take their order. His eyes swept over the restaurant and landed on a man at the cash register paying his bill. This man had dirty blond hair, long on top and short underneath. He was wearing a pair of crisp tan khaki's and a short-sleeved green shirt. He had on dark sunglasses and an unlit cigarette dangled from his lips. The man turned and Tatsuha got a better look at his face. His face brightened in recognition. He jumped to his feet and raced after the man as he left the diner.
"Bro! Hey, bro! Wait up," Tatsuha cried. He finally caught him at the corner, lighting his cigarette. "Hey, Eiri!"
Eiri puffed on his cigarette and blew the smoke into his brother's face.
Tatsuha coughed and waved the smoke out of his face.
"What do you want, Tatsuha?" the blond writer demanded.
"Jeeze, can't a man say 'hi' to his big brother once in awhile?"
Eiri glanced at Tatsuha, but did not say anything.
With a sigh, Tatsuha shook his head. Eiri really was a cold assed bastard.
"Was there a point to stopping me, or were you just admiring my good looks?"
"Why, gotta date? Say with a pink haired pop star?" If Tatsuha had not been watching, he never would have seen the flash in his brother's eyes before he was able to school his expression.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Eiri denied around his cigarette. He turned and walked away, vanishing into the throng of people crossing the street.
Tatsuha did not blame his brother for denying any involvement with Shuichi. He could not help but wonder when it came to Shuichi, what were his brother's feelings? How did Eiri feel about the boy? Tatsuha considered Shuichi a good friend of his, not just his partner's baby brother, and the last thing the kid needed was to be hurt worse than he already has been by the people in his life. Another thought struck him as he started back for the diner. If his brother had just been paying his bill when he and Ryuichi arrived, than that meant Eiri had most likely been there for an hour or so, meaning it had not been his Mercedes that Hiro had seen Shuichi climbing into. So, if it had been him, than whose car had he climbed into?
oOo
Shuichi sat on a large rock besides the koi pond, his legs dangling along the surface of the pristine water. He stared blankly into the water, trying to figure out what to do about Eiri and the stipulations of the contract with NG.
"Hey," came a voice.
Startled, Shuichi's head snapped up and around. "Oh, Maa-kun," he breathed easily as he saw the blond haired man heading towards him, a beer in each hand. "You're up early. It's only a little after four."
"Yeah, I know," the older man said. He handed one of the cans to the boy and sat down besides him. "We have a meeting tonight with a couple of the top people at some new record company."
Shuichi chocked on the amber liquid.
"Are you alright?" Maa-kun asked, slapping Shuichi on the back.
Unable to respond over his coughing fit, Shuichi nodded. A new record company? Was he referring to Tohma's new label NG Productions?
"I think he's just jealous," sneered a new voice.
Shuichi gritted his teeth. The beer can crackled in his hand.
"Taki," Maa-kun warned.
"Hey, I'm just stating the facts." Taki Aizawa waltzed over to the pink haired boy and grabbing his chin, forced him to stare at him. "Isn't that right, Shuichi?" he asked sweetly.
God, he really hated this man! Shuichi spit in the man's face. "Screw you," he snapped.
If anyone should be jealous, it was Taki. Bad Luck had been offered a contract by winning a battle, and had been honored by the new president of the record company in a face-to-face meeting. ASK was meeting the dog, not the person holding the dog's leash.
Taki flung the wad of saliva off his cheek and smiled slyly at the boy. "What, again?" He ran a finger up Shuichi's cheek. "We just did it the day before yesterday. Aren't you a horny little beast? I'm that good, huh?"
The people Shuichi hung out with here at what once used to be a Buddhist temple were all runaways and school dropouts. Each of them were considered hooligans, thugs, ruffians or hoodlums-among other things-and were either addicted to drugs or were alcoholics-if not both-and a good deal of them worked as prostitutes in order to support their addictions. A great deal of them also did odd jobs for Kizou. What those "odd jobs" were, Shuichi had no idea and was not sure he wanted to know. Kizou said the same thing to him more than once before.
Kizou was a mysterious man. He bought the run down temple for a steal from the city and fixed it up. He made a fortune selling drugs, firearms and pimping out not only females but the males as well. It was said the police were hot to take down this Yakuza wannabe but had absolutely no evidence. He took nothing from no one, especially from Taki, but because Kizou had a thing for Shuichi, though he claimed he was not gay, he tended to be lenient and was a bit of a softie when it came to the pink haired teen.
Taki Aizawa was a sick, perverted freak who did anything that moved, willing or not. He loved overpowering people weaker than him. His favorite target was Shuichi.
Shuichi hated having the sick perverts who were always hanging around Kizou touching him, but he had no other choice. Because Hiro took care of the money Bad Luck made, Shuichi was always broke and wound up doing favors in exchange for the things he needed. Of course, the others always waited until Kizou was not around before they pounced because Kizou would have all their heads on a platter with their balls as garnish. Besides, they took care of him, loved him. He could always ask Hiro for his portion of the money they earned, but that would open a floodgate of inquiries and the less Hiro knew the better.
Without thinking, Shuichi slapped away Taki's hand that was trailing down his chest. "Don't touch me," he hissed. "And no, you're not that good. I've had better." A picture of Eiri flashed through his mind. "Last night in fact."
Taki looked surprised for a second and then turned angry. He stepped towards the boy, clenching his fists angrily. "Why you filthy little whore," he hissed back.
"That may be, but I'm not yours. Not any more." Shuichi stepped up the other man, so that they were pressed intimately together. "And for your information, Bad Luck did get signed. Not more than half an hour ago and by the president himself," he added just for kicks.
Shuichi had the satisfaction of seeing Taki's face turn purple with fury.
Not liking where this was going, Maa-kun set is beer down and stepped between the two men. He placed a hand on each of their chests and pushed them apart. "Taki, c'mon," he told his singer. He moved both of his hands on Taki's chest. "We have that meeting to go to, remember?" He pushed the man away from Shuichi and back towards the house.
"Alright, alright." Taki pushed Maa-kun away from him. "Go find Ken and bring the car around," he ordered.
Maa-kun looked at Taki suspiciously.
"Go!"
With one last look at his friend, Maa-kun vanished into the house to find the third member of their band.
Taki turned back towards Shuichi to find the boy glaring angrily at him.
"I don't know what company would sign Sad Fuck, but ASK will be big," he assured the boy. "While we're playing sold old concerts all over the world, your sad little band will be stuck playing two bit, second rate bars and taverns for a bunch of drunk, overweight, horny men who'll take one look at you and know the only thing you're good for is good quick fuck."
Shuichi gritted his teeth in irritation and annoyance. His hands clenched into tight fists. The beer can in his hand was reduced to a flat piece of metal. His hand was slick and sticky from the beer that had spit out.
A honk echoed through the still, late afternoon air. Taki glanced quickly towards the house. "If you'll excuse me," he said with a mock bow. "I have a meeting to go to." Like a switch had been flicked, the sly smile vanished and was replaced with a heated mask. "And when I return," he hissed, stepping nose to nose with the boy, "I'll show you what happens to little fuckers who don't do-as-they're-told. I'll make sure this new beau of yours wants nothing more to do with you after tonight."
Shuichi, despite himself, shivered at the threat. Hot, angry tears filled his eyes. While most people are all talk and full of hot air, when Taki made a threat, he always carried it out and with vengeance. He was the only person Shuichi truly was afraid of.
Savoring the reaction, Taki smiled and vanished inside the house.
Shuichi glanced after the man. He hated Taki more than words could say. He hated him with a passion.
Dammit!
He threw the crushed beer can across the yard, hearing it land in a bush somewhere out of sight. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the beer can Maa-kun left behind. Wiping his tear blurred face he grabbed and chugged down the bitter amber liquid.
oOo
The ex-temple was just beginning to wake up when the thirty-year-old owner returned an hour later. A black Mercedes rolled up the driveway and parked besides the other dozen or so vehicles. A well-groomed man dressed in a black suit stepped out. Pocketing his keys, he shut the car door and walked to the front door. It opened as he reached for the doorknob.
"Kizou," said a young man dressed in nothing but a pair of baggy sweat pants. His hair was mused, his dark roots contrasting sharply against the white blond coloration. The boy, who did not look much older than Shuichi, glanced over his shoulder. He bit his lip and a look of fear swept across his face.
"Narata," Kizou stated calmly.
"Uhm…"
Kizou raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to let me in my home or make me stand out here all night?"
Narata opened his mouth, but a drunken slur from somewhere in the house cut him off. The boy glanced over his shoulder. Then slowly turned back to Kizou, gulping at the furious expression on his boss's face. His eyes grew wide. Taking a step back, he held his hands up as if to ward off a blow. "It wasn't me! I swear! Kizou-"
Swearing furiously, Kizou pushed the younger man aside and stormed into the house. "Who then?" he demanded.
Narata raced after Kizou. "I-I don't know! I just-just woke up!"
Kizou marched through the house, throwing open all the doors along the way, searching for the drunk boy. The house had half a dozen bedrooms plus the kitchen, dining room, several bathrooms and living and sitting room. Each one had at least half a dozen people either snoring softly or just waking up, but none of them was who he was looking for. He entered the kitchen and saw Kisa and Shinichi cooking breakfast. "Where is he?" he asked them heatedly.
Kisa said nothing and hunched over the stove.
Shinichi turned from the cupboard, a stack of plates in his hands. The twenty-three year old looked at him calmly. "I think he headed into your room."
"Who gave him alcohol?"
Shinichi shrugged. "Either Taki or Maa-kun. They were the only ones up when you dropped Shu off earlier."
Kizou growled. "Where are they now?"
"At that meeting," he said, turning back to the cupboard.
"Call me when they return."
"Sure."
Kizou turned on his heel and marched towards his bedroom, pushing passed a frightened Narata who had plastered himself to the wall. He burst into his bedroom, the shoji door slamming into the pocket. He stood in the doorway, glaring at the boy angrily, but his anger quickly vanished and turned into amusement. Crossing his arms over his chest, he leaned against the doorjamb and watched as a drunken Shuichi danced around the bedroom in nothing more than a pair of jeans that were hanging dangerously low on his hips.
The pink haired singer twirled about the bedroom, his arms stretched out on either side of him and his head hanging back. The boy's mouth was open wide as he laughed joyously.
A smile graced Kizou's lips. Pushing away from the doorframe, Kizou slid the door closed behind him as he sauntered across the room towards the boy. He loosened his tie and chucked off his suit coat. He tossed it over his shoulder.
Shuichi stopped spinning, but the room continued to sway and the floor tilted under his feet. Off balance, the singer staggered. He cried out in surprise. His arms flailing like a windmill, he toppled backwards onto the bed with a light bounce and laughed gleefully. The boy smiled with a sigh. He closed his eyes and hummed a tune Kizou did not recognize.
Kizou slipped off his tie and tossed it to the floor. He walked around the bed and gazed down lustfully at the boy sprawled out on the mattress. Shuichi's arms were stretched out on either side of him. His skinny legs were bent, knees pointed at the ceiling and feet planted on the edge of the bed, toes dangling off the mattress. His eyes were still closed. He had a carefree smile on his face. Kizou planted himself between Shuichi's legs and ran his hands up and down the boy's thighs.
Shuichi giggled and opened amethyst eyes. "Hey, Kizou," slurred with a laugh.
"Shuichi."
"Your name sounds like kitty." The boy laughed hysterically.
Kizou raised an eyebrow and smirked. He ran his hands back down Shuichi's thighs and across his jean clothed crotch. He was rewarded with a hiss and a needy moan. A satisfied smile slid across his face. A quick glance at the boy's face assured him that Shuichi was enjoying himself and the attention he was getting. This was the only reason why he loved it when Shuichi got plastered. The downside was what happened afterwards. That was why he did not like Shuichi drinking. "How many beers did you have?" he asked Shuichi curiously, as he unzipped the boy's pants.
"One," Shuichi cried out proudly, holding up a finger.
Kizou raised an eyebrow. "Really?" If it had been anyone other than Shuichi, he would not have believed it, but it was Shuichi. One, Shuichi could not hold his liquor to save his life. A thimble full of sake had Shuichi all loopy. Two, Shuichi could not tell a believable lie if his life depended on it and being drunk made the boy act like he had ingested a truth serum.
"Uh, huh," Shuichi nodded with a giggle.
"Hm."
Kizou ran his hands up the boy's chest. His fingers circled Shuichi's nipple and massaged them to life. Shuichi moaned in response. When Kizou tweaked the pert buds, Shuichi inhaled sharply. He then giggled and squirmed, as Kizou's other hand trailed lightly down his sides.
"That tickles," he laughed, curling on his side.
Kizou chuckled softly.
"You want me," Shuichi teased slyly, looking at him out of the corner of his eye.
"Damn straight," Kizou growled. He pushed Shuichi onto his back and straddled him. As the kid giggled, Kizou slid a hand under his underwear and grabbing his cock, stroked it to life.
Shuichi tossed his head back and arched his back, raising his hips. A low moan escaped his lips.
Kizou removed his hand and standing up, started unbuttoned his shirt.
Shuichi watched him, his whole face smiling and giggled. "Guess what?"
"What?" Kizou stripped his shirt off and tossed it over his shoulder.
"I was with someone last night," he mocked whispered.
Kizou's dark eyes narrowed. "Really," he growled as he felt the first stirrings of jealousy. That would explain where the boy was all night.
Shuichi nodded. He glanced around to make sure nobody could over hear the next part. He staggered to his knees and crooked a finger at his older lover. The man leaned down so that Shuichi could whisper in his ear. "I think I love him."
Kizou went still.
"And I think he got me pregnant," Shuichi added in that same mock whisper.
That stopped Kizou cold. He watched Shuichi flop back onto the bed and roll around on the mattress, laughing gaily with a gigantic smile on his face. Kizou had never seen the boy happier in the year he knew him. His whole face was glowing and his eyes were sparkling. However, Kizou had never been more enraged in his entire life. Not only had some other guy stolen his Shuichi away from him, but this other man had also gotten him pregnant? He could forgive that Shuichi was one of those freaks if it was his child the boy was carrying, but the fact that it was some other guy's seed? No. No way in bloody hell. Not going to happen. Kizou wanted more than anything to believe that it was just the alcohol talking, but the fact of the matter was, Shuichi lacked the ability to lie, especially when he was plastered.
Growling, Kizou clenched his hands into tights fists of fury. "Get out," he said slowly in a dangerously low voice.
Shuichi's laughter was silenced as if a switch had been flicked. Blinking, he sat up and looked at him in confusion. "What?"
Kizou rounded the bed and grabbing Shuichi's arm, dragged him off the bed and out of the bedroom.
Suddenly sober, Shuichi tugged against the painful vise-like grip on his arm. He planted his feet on the floor. "Kizou," Shuichi whined. "You're hurting me! Kizou!"
The other occupants of the house were startled awake as Kizou continued to drag Shuichi kicking and screaming through the house. Whispers followed the couple. "What's going on? What's happening?"
"What did I do?" Shuichi asked the man as tears flowed down his face. He tried prying off the hand clamped around his arm. "Kizou! Please!"
Kizou slammed open the front door in a fury and disgusted haze. He marched down the drive past the cars, still pulling a reluctant and hysterical Shuichi behind him. He tossed the boy down the driveway. Shuichi lost his balance and fell, hissing in pain as he skinned his shins and elbows. "Get out of here," he snapped. "Now!"
Shuichi rolled around onto his back and stared up at the tall man who had been his entire world for the past year. "Why? What did I do?" he cried as the tears flowed down his face. "Please! I don't understand!"
Kizou gazed at his little lover and felt like a complete heel. All he wanted to do was pull the boy into his arms and never let go. He wanted to wipe that unbecoming expression off Shuichi's face. A smile suited Shuichi best. He truly did love this boy and he knew Shuichi felt something for him. It may not be the same feeling that he felt for Shuichi, but there was some sort of connection between the two of them. And he knew this was the only real home the boy had. But he just could not do it. He had a reputation to uphold. Besides, with the way things were right now, he could not continue to guarantee Shuichi's safety. The last thing Kizou wanted was to pull Shuichi into the dark underworld of this organization. This way, Shuichi had a chance to give the child that was growing within him a much better life than the kind of life he would have if both mother and son remained here with him. Someday, Shuichi will thank him for this.
Steeling himself, he marched towards the boy and hunched over his quivering, half-naked form. "I-don't-like-freaks," he hissed. It broke his heart to witness Shuichi's complete world shatter around him, but it was for the best. He just had to continue saying that to himself.
Shuichi's eyes widened and his face paled.
Freak.
That word echoed in his mind over and over again. Once again, he was an outcast. Once again, he was forced to abandon his home all because of something he could not control.
Kizou unfurled himself and at his full height, glowered down at the sniveling boy. "Get the fuck out of here," he ordered. "And never show your face around here again!" He turned his back and vanished into the gathered group of curious onlookers.
With tears spilling down his face, Shuichi crossed his arms over his naked chest and walked miserably down the drive.
Behind him, Narata ran out of the house with Shuichi's shirt, shoes and backpack in his arms. He called out to the singer, but Shuichi kept on walking. Never once did he look back.
"Are you sure it's okay to just let him leave like that?" asked Kizou's shadow and bodyguard Yutoshi.
"Don't worry," Kizou assured him.
"But, Kizou! You can't-"
Kizou rounded on the man. "I can and I will!" He glanced at his subordinates. "If you have a problem with the way things are run, then bring it on! Otherwise, shut your face and get to work!" He spun on his heel and stormed into the house, slamming the door with enough force to crack it.
oOo
Shuichi staggered down the street, blinded by tears, his mind hazy from the lasting affects of alcohol and shock. He pushed past the throng of people, deaf to their angry protests and exclamations. He wandered the streets, lost in his own world and blind to the world around him.
An angry horn, squealing breaks and screams startled him back to reality. Slowly, he turned towards the noise. He blinked as a jeep-truck served his way.
…To Be Continued…
Preview: "Shuichi's First Confession"