Gold, scarlet, onyx and ivory were the colors of Zuko Ohasi, Aang Watanabe mused as he sat at the round table across from the other man. His boss-soon to be former boss if everything went according to plan-had sent him to this dinner in order to seduce the openly gay Zuko into agreeing to sell Jasmine Dragon Jewelry & Designs to his own company, Shostakovitch Jewelers. Disgust twisted his stomach. He'd been Drachov Shostakovitch's, best jewelry designer for four years. Learning that his boss viewed him a pawn who would seduce any gay male for personal gain simply because he was gay felt like a betrayal. He wouldn't mind seducing Zuko, but he had no intention of doing so to "earn" a promotion he didn't even want.
Zuko was truly gorgeous. Creamy pale skin, luminous golden eyes, and soft, plush lips, all set off by the brilliant scarlet of his shirt. If Aang was designing jewelry for him, it would be an onyx dragon, with gold dusted over the scales, highlighting them and making them iridescent. A pearl under its chin and a perfect ruby of fiery scarlet forming the flame would complete the design. He pictured it as a collar necklace around the other man's smooth white throat. Perfect.
He took a sip of his wine as he studied the other male.
"You know why Mr. Shostakovitch set up this dinner meeting, right?" Zuko nodded curtly.
"We had arranged an afternoon meeting to discuss the latest offer he's come up with, before he called this afternoon to change the time." Well. It would seem that Zuko hadn't figured out Drachov's latest tactic. He took another sip of his wine. He normally didn't drink at all, and he was starting to get a buzz. He'd better slow down or he'd end up completely snookered. That wouldn't be a glowing recommendation to Iroh Ohasi, Zuko's uncle and boss. Aang was hoping to be hired by the man. Not disgracing himself in front of his nephew would be a good start.
"Shostakovitch changed the meeting time and sent me in his place because he wants me to seduce you into convincing your uncle to sell to him," he said bluntly. Hopefully his honestly would earn him brownie points with Zuko. The other male blinked in shock, staring at him slightly slack-jawed.
"What?" Zuko took a deep breath, even white teeth sinking into his full lower lip. The worst part of what Aang had told him was that it would have worked. He was the type of man who gave his lover whatever he wanted, did whatever his lover wanted. If Aang had seduced him, then had asked him to sell his and his uncle's company, he would have agreed without hesitation. "Why would you tell me that?" he demanded.
"Because I have no intention of doing such a thing." He leaned forward, covering Zuko's hand with his. "I have no objections to seducing you in the interests of mutual pleasure and companionship, but I absolutely will not do so for another's gain," he said, holding Zuko's eyes with his own silver ones.
"Are you always this honest?" Aang smiled at him, a slight curve of his mouth.
"I try to be." Zuko bit his lip again, and Aang wished that it was his teeth sinking into that plush lip.
"Why did he choose you? Out of all his employees, why you?" Aang had asked Shostakovitch that same question a few hours earlier.
"He chose me because I'm a jewelry designer like you, we're about the same age, and I'm handsome, gay, and single." The last word was a relief to Zuko. "It's really as simple as that, in his mind."
"What are you going to tell him?"
"That I'm doing my best, but I don't want to rush things and make you suspicious, but that I'm confident that you'll agree to the sale. I'll string Shostakovitch along until I find a new job, at which point I'll give my two weeks notice to HR." Zuko gave him a half-smile, the left side of his mouth barely lifting. An idea had occurred to him with Aang's last sentence.
"My uncle might be willing to hire you. He'd need to see your portfolio first, of course, and we can't afford to pay you anywhere near as much as your current company does, but I'll make it up to you in...benefits." Aang picked up on the seductive hint in Zuko's tone on the last word, and his pulse quickened in response. He lived well within his means, most of his income going into savings and bonds. A decrease in salary would be no problem.
"My portfolio's in the car. I'll be happy to show it to you and your uncle at your earliest convenience."
"You can show it to him tomorrow morning," Zuko purred. "He lives right next door to me, so I'll invite him over after breakfast." The suggestiveness in Zuko's voice was more that a mere hint now, it was blatant. Aang toasted him with his wine glass.
"It will be my pleasure." Zuko clinked his glass against Aang's. They spent the rest of their meal talking about first Jasmine Dragon Jewelry & Designs, then about their childhoods. Aang told him about being orphaned, and later adopted by a former Tibetan monk named Gyatso. Zuko told Aang about his mother's disappearance when he was six, the years of abuse he had endured at his father's hands, and his uncle adopting him at sixteen. Iroh had also adopted another child, a girl named Toph. She was away, attending a camp for teenagers and young adults who wanted to become professional wrestlers. Zuko assured Aang that he'd get to meet her at some point. Aang knew by the end of the meal that he wanted to marry Zuko. He had a rough idea of the engagement ring he would make for him. Thank God they lived in Massachusetts, one of the few states that permitted gay marriage so they wouldn't have to settle for a civil union.
Aang woke up the next morning in Zuko's bed and stretched lazily, remembering the previous night. Zuko was an eager and responsive lover, who knew what he liked and what he wanted, and had no qualms about demanding it. Aang was even more determined to marry Zuko than he had been the night before. He rolled over to pull Zuko close and frowned when he discovered the other side of the bed was empty. He didn't hear the shower running, so Zuko wasn't in there. He sat up and swung his feet over the side of the bed, reaching for his clothes from the night before. He'd folded them carefully, placing them on the chair beside the window. He'd laughed when Zuko complained and informed him that while Zuko had plenty of clothes there to choose from, Aang didn't. He hadn't, after all, been planning on spending the night in Zuko's arms.
Delicious aromas drifted in from the direction of the kitchen, providing Aang with a hint about his lover's whereabouts. Once he'd pulled on his pants he padded down the stairs and along a short hallway to the kitchen. Zuko was standing by the stove, wearing a scarlet kimono embroidered with golden dragons and cherry blossoms on it. It had slipped temptingly off of one shoulder, revealing creamy skin and the line of love bites Aang had left on his throat to the base of his ear. He walked up behind Zuko, slid his arms around his waist, and began pressing kisses to the other side of his throat.
"What smells so good? Besides you, of course," he purred against Zuko's ear.
"Caramel Apple Dutch Baby and omelets. Roasted vegetable for you, Kung Pao chicken for me." Zuko was putting leftovers in the omelets-he always put leftovers into omelets. It was a good way to make a whole other meal out of them. He shivered as Aang nipped the sensitive skin just behind and below his ear. "Behave, or I'll end up burning breakfast." Aang laughed throatily then nipped again. Zuko's toes curled.
"Mmm. I'll take my chances of enjoying a burnt breakfast if it gets me more kisses." Zuko squirmed around, the kimono slipping farther down his arm. He pouted up at Aang, knowing how attractive he was when he did so.
"I'm trying to impress you with my cooking skills. I can't do that if you distract me into burning breakfast. He pressed a quick kiss to Aang's lips. "You'll get plenty of kisses after my uncle leaves. Now go set the table and stop distracting me." Aang reluctantly released him and started looking in the cupboards to find the plates. Zuko turned back to the stove just in time to prevent Aang's omelet from burning. He turned off the heat and slid the pan to a cold burner. The Dutch Baby would be ready in a minute or two, and once that was done, breakfast would be ready. "The plates are in the cupboard over the sink," he said. "Glasses are in the cupboard next to it." Aang fetched the dishes and carried them to the table, setting two places. Zuko slid the omelets onto the plates, folding them the rest of the way into thirds neatly as he did so. He cut and placed a slice of Dutch Baby beside each omelet before sitting across from Aang, who'd already poured them glasses of juice.
They talked and flirted their way through breakfast. Aang told him about his pets, a Siamese named Momo who believed he could fly; and a Newfoundland named Appa who was big by breed standards and suffered from the unfortunate delusion that he was a lap dog. He'd adopted them both from the local ASPCA. Zuko told him more about his family.
"Where are we going to live when we move in together?" Zuko asked. They had discussed moving in together the night before, but hadn't decided where they would live.
"After my interview with your uncle, we can go to my apartment and you can decide where you want to live." As far as Aang was concerned, as long as he had Zuko, he would be happy living in a cave.
They made love after breakfast, then Zuko called his uncle and invited him over, telling him about Aang and that he was interested in a job with them.
Zuko dressed lazily, feeling Aang's eyes on him. He dressed with comfort, rather than appearance, in mind; choosing comfortable, well-worn jeans and a soft T-shirt. Aang felt that Zuko looked wonderful, almost good enough to eat. Aang pulled on the same clothes he'd worn the night before, a charcoal gray suit with matching silk tie, and dove-gray silk dress shirt.
The doorbell rang as Aang was dressing, and Zuko answered it, greeting his adopted father.
"How did the meeting go, Zuko? I waited up for you to call me last night, but you never did. Iroh's eyes twinkled merrily at his son. He suspected why the man hadn't called the night before- he'd seen him returning, wrapped in the arms of a taller man he exchanged kissed with every few steps. He'd worried at the time that the man was Shostakovitch. Now, he suspected it had been the jewelery designer his son had told him about, Watanabe. Iroh had heard of him-he was one of the best designers in the country, maybe the world. He'd designed for royalty, politicians, and celebrities, and had worn numerous awards and accolades.
Zuko flushed pink at his words. "I, um...got a little distracted," he said.
"Ah." Zuko assured him that meeting had gone well, then led him into the dining room, introducing him to a handsome, tattooed man. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Watanabe. I'm Iroh Ohasi." Aang stood and shook Iroh's extended hand. They all sat down at the table, Zuko sitting on Aang's lap to cuddle with as Iroh sat down in his vacated chair.
"So, Mr. Watanabe, my son informed me that you're interested in a job with our company."
"Yes, sir. My portfolio's in my car." Iroh waved this away.
"That's not necessary. I've seen plenty of your designs. We won't be able to pay what you're used to, but..." He looked at his boy, gazing up at the other man adoringly. Watanabe returned his son's adoration, assuring Iroh that he be happy even with the reduced pay scale.
"I know, sir. Zuko told me last night when he mentioned you might have a job for me." Iroh nodded, pleased.
"Well, then. Welcome to Jasmine Dragon Jewelery Designs. When can you start?" Aang smiled.
"I'll file my two-week notice on Monday, and can start as soon as I'm done at Shostakovitch."
"Good. Welcome to our family."
"I'm honored to be part of it, sir."
Aang stood at the door of his apartment, the love of his life beside him. He braced himself as he unlocked and opened the door. He'd given his pets plenty of food and water, and Appa could go out into the backyard to do his business, but he was still home far later than expected. Momo, weighing barely six pounds, wouldn't be much of an issue when he launched himself at Aang. It was Appa he was worried about. Appa was three feet tall at the shoulders and weighed about 200 hundred pounds. In addition to thinking he was a lap dog, he was also extremely affectionate. That much dog slamming into Aang often caused him to fall straight onto his butt. He grabbed the door frame as he heard Appa's claws clicking on the floor.
Momo landed lightly on Aang's shoulder just as the dog reached him, almost knocking him over despite his grip on the door frame. Zuko supported him with one arm while extending the other the Momo for the Siamese to sniff delicately. Momo rubbed his face against Zuko's fingers as Aang straightened. Once Aang was upright, he extended the other hand to Appa for him to sniff. The Newfoundland began licking it immediately, tail wagging even harder than usual. Aang observed his pets' acceptance of Zuko with relief. If they hadn't accepted him, he might have a very difficult decision on his hands. He smiled before leaning over and stealing a kiss from his distracted lover.
"Welcome to my humble abode, darling." Zuko looked around from the doorway as Aang manhandled Appa out of the way so they could enter. Left to his own devices, Appa would happily keep them in the doorway licking Zuko's hands until he got bored and tried to lick his face and knocked him down.
Zuko smiled seductively at Aang when he had finished exploring. Appa was happily munching dog chow out of his bowl, and Aang had just placed Momo's bowl o top of the refrigerator, the feline's preferred dining location. "I want to try out your bed," he purred, "and see if it's as comfortable as mine." Aang swept him off his feet and carried him to his bedroom.
"I love your bed," Zuko sighed lazily, lying naked on his stomach in Aang's bed. Aang pressed a kiss to his shoulder, hand sliding slowly down the other man's back. "It's so big, with so much room to play." He shuddered delicately as Aang fingered his entrance briefly before moving on. "We'll definitely have to keep it."
"Have you decided where you want to live then, love?" Zuko nodded.
"Yeah. The duplex has more room, plus the backyard's huge, giving Appa lots of room to run around and play." Aang smiled. Appa would absolutely love that. "You can redecorate too. I love what you've done here."
"Mmm. My lease expires in a little over a month. I'll give my notice on Monday that I won't be renewing. That'll give us a little over a month to decide what we're keeping and for me to move in with you." They kissed, breaking apart when the phone rang. Aang rolled out of bed with a curse. It had better be important. It wasn't, just a telemarketer trying to sell some stupid gadget. Aang told him to where to put the stupid thing and slammed down the phone, returning eagerly to his lover. Zuko laughed softly, holding out his arms in welcome.
"You tell those telemarketers, Aang."
"I will," Aang murmured against Zuko's mouth.
An hour later, Zuko sat curled on the couch while Aang made them sandwiches. Their lovemaking had made both of them hungry. Appa came over and sat down in front of him. A few moments later the dog began scooting his butt up the front of the couch. Aang had warned him about this- Appa scooted his weight up the person's legs, or as in this case, the front of the couch, until his butt was on their lap, then launched himself backwards into their lap. Zuko spoke firmly.
"No." Appa froze and glanced guiltily over his shoulder. "No. You're too big for my lap." The Newfoundland paused a moment longer before lowering his rear back to the carpet and lying down. "Good dog." Zuko stroked Appa's head a few times. Aang watched from the doorway, amused.
"Gorgeous, talented, incredible in bed, and a miracle worker with my dog. I am truly the luckiest man of Earth," he announced as he came over to the couch carrying a tray of sandwiches, a pitcher of lemonade, and two glasses. He settled carefully on to the cushion beside Zuko, balancing the tray across their laps. "He never listens to me when I tell him not to sit on someone's lap." Zuko snuggled against him and nibbled on a sandwich.
"What are you going to say in your resignation letter?" Aang shrugged.
"The truth. I received an offer of employment from another company and I accepted."
"Nothing about what Shostakovitch wanted you to do?"
"Nope. That's between me and Shostakovitch. When he finds out I'm quitting he'll call into his office." He sighed. "He's going to blow a gasket." Aang brightened. "The look on his face when he finds out his scheme backfired is gonna be priceless, though."
Aang was bent over his sketch pad, working furiously on the design for the engagement ring he intended to give Zuko. Turtles were a symbol of longevity in Asian culture, cranes of fidelity, and chrysanthemums were a symbol of elegance and happiness. He was trying to figure out the best way to incorporate those, along with the dragon he felt was perfect for Zuko. He could engrave a chrysanthemum into the ruby, but how to incorporate the other symbols? Perhaps he could use three rubies? But, how to arrange them?
His computer beeped, indicating an email. He opened it, scowling when he saw it was a demand to appear in his boss's office. He stowed the sketch pad into his drawer, locking it and stowing to key securely in his pocket. Jewelry design was a cutthroat business, more than most people realized. Especially in a big corporation like this. The last thing he wanted was for someone to steal the designs he was developing to give to Zuko. Or almost as bad, one of the ones he was being paid for. Shostakovitch sounded pissed in his email, Aang hoped that he wouldn't be late for his lunch with Zuko due to his boss yelling at him. He pressed the elevator button for the fifth floor. Half the floor was the CEO's office, the other half was divided between his secretary, a waiting room, and filing cabinets.
Bethany looked up as Aang entered the room. "Go on in," she said, waving him through. "He's waiting, and he's not happy." There was compassion in the beautiful young woman's voice. Aang smiled at her. The worst thing Drachov Shostakovitch could do was fire him, and he already had his next job lined up. Being fired meant that he could start working alongside Zuko sooner.
Shostakovitch rounded on him the moment the door clicked shut behind him.
"You're quitting? What the hell do you mean you're quitting? You can't quit!" he roared. Aang waited until he paused to draw a breath before speaking.
"Yes, I'm quitting; I mean exactly that, and I most certainly can. I'm your employee, not your slave." Shostakovitch turned the color of a beet, veins bulging in his temples and throat. He did not like being crossed.
"Who do you think you're leaving me for? I will end them. They will never take you away from me," he bellowed. Aang suppressed a scowl. He was treading on thin ice. Was it better to divert his soon-to-be-former boss's wrath to a different company, or tell the truth. Shostakovitch had a lot of money and legal clout. He could-and would-crush a small, barely off the ground business like Jasmine Dragon.
"It's none of your damn business who I'm leaving you for. And if you do anything to harm my new employer's business, I will go to every media company and forum that will give me the time of day and tell them how you ordered me to seduce Zuko Ohasi so that you could swallow his elderly uncle's business up." He smiled evilly. "They will eat it up. Massive corporation using gay sex to destroy a tiny competitor? The public doesn't have a very high opinion of big corporations or hotshot CEO s at the moment. Your company would take massive losses. The scandal would linger for months, if not years. Do you really want to risk that, Shostakovitch? Because I will go to the media." Shostakovitch turned very pale at his words.
"There wouldn't be a scandal," he blustered. Aang snorted.
"Sex, homosexuality, greed, money, a big corporation trying to destroy a small business competitor all in one package? You're kidding. The media will think it's died and gone to heaven. And just think of all those people on the Internet! The media will drag this out every time you or your company is mentioned in an article, even if it's ten years down the line."
"Fine. You win." Shostakovitch looked crumpled, defeated. Aang felt a twinge of guilt.
'You're doing this to protect Zuko and Iroh. Remember that,' he thought.
"I still won't let you quit. You're fired for insubordination. Your desk is to be empty by three o'clock." Aang nodded. He knew why Shostakovitch had really fired him-so that if Aang did go to the media, he could claim that it was simply the imaginings of a disgruntled former employee. Aang made a mental note to keep a copy of his resignation letter, stamped by HR as having been received-and accepted- at 9:02 that morning, a full two hours before he was fired.
"Would you like me to fax the designs I'm currently working on to you when I'm finished?" Aang's former boss shook his head.
"No. I want nothing of yours. Now get out before I have security escort you out.
Aang turned on his heel and left, suppressing a triumphant smirk.
"How'd it go in there," Bethany asked, wide-eyed. "I heard him yelling..." Aang grinned at her. Bethany was such a sweet young lady, fresh out of college. Knowing that she was sending her résumé around, he hoped that she would find a job with a boss who would treat her better soon.
"About as well as I suspected. I'm to be out of the building by three. If I come across any jobs I think you'd like, I'll email you about them," he promised.
"Thank you. I've never seen anyone so happy to be fired."
"I'd filed my two-week notice anyway." Besides, Drachov had just handed Jasmine Dragon a massive gift- three very high-profile clients with pricey commissions in progress: the crown princess of Dubai, an English Duchess, and an exclusive ensemble for Helen Mirren. He smiled to himself as he headed for the elevator, having exchanged good-byes with Bethany. Bringing three commissions to the business before he'd even officially started working there should be more than enough to get Zuko the rest of the day off.
Shostakovitch had ignored Aang's threat and filed in court claiming that the new designs Jasmine Dragon Jewelry Design and Sales had debuted at a gala event (organized by Aang) belonged to his company, claiming that Aang had designed them while in his employ. Aang had sent him and email informing him that the designs were Zuko's, not his, and informing him that he had scheduled an interview with ABC News for six p.m. that evening. If Drachov insisted on this frivolous lawsuit, Aang would tell the media everything, and provide proof to back up his claims. He'd sent an excerpt of the proof, a surreptitious recording Aang had made when he realized what Drachov was asking him to do. Shostakovitch had withdrawn the lawsuit and sent a written apology to Iroh and Zuko for the misunderstanding.
He had given the interview, but only talked about Jasmine Dragon and how excited he was to work with such a talented designer. The shameless plug had aired only on local channels. When asked why he had left Shostakovitch Jewelry Designs, Aang had answered that, 'Unexpected circumstances led to me attending a meeting with Zuko Ohasi in Mr. Shostakovitch's stead. It was love at first sight, and when I was offered a position with the company I accepted without hesitation.'
Aang fidgeted nervously, the finally finished engagement ring heavy in his pocket. It had been three months to the day since he'd met Zuko. Now he was preparing to propose to his soul mate. He led Zuko to the middle of the bridge spanning the small pond. The surface of the pond was covered with blooming water lilies, and honeysuckle and jasmine draped the tree branches extending over the pond. The gentle breeze sent petals gliding around them, delicately perfuming the air. Moonlight bathed everything in a silvery glow, filigreeing everything in delicate shades of light and shadow. It was the most romantic place Aang could find to propose. They wore the same clothes they had worn when they met, Aang telling Zuko that he wanted to celebrate their three-month anniversary.
Zuko's eyes widened in surprise when Aang went down on one knee in front of him and removed a small box from his pocket. He paused before opening it, admiring his lover in the moonlight. The silver beams made Zuko's skin even paler than usual, and gilded his raven hair. Zuko was beautiful in the sun, but the moon only enhanced his charms. The ring was a sinuous golden dragon, with eyes of yellow diamonds, and diamond dust highlighting some of the meticulously hand-carved scales. In one clawed foot the dragon clutched three luminous rubies, one with a chrysanthemum deep in its depths, one with a crane, and the third with a turtle. Inside, the words my heart and soul belong to you, and only you, for as long as the universe exists were engraved in delicate calligraphy. Zuko's eyes widened and his lips parted at the sight of the ring. Aang took Zuko's left hand in his right.
"I told you once I was the luckiest man on Earth to have you. I've loved you from the heartbeat I saw you, and my love has only grown with every heartbeat, every breath since. I can't imagine my life without you, and I don't want to. Would you make the happiest man by agreeing to be my husband, Zuko?" Zuko gasped, eyes filling with tears at Aang's beautiful words.
"Of course I will, Aang." Aang slid the ring onto Zuko's finger, then rose to his feet. Zuko slipped into his embrace, mouth seeking Aang's eagerly. When they drew apart, he cupped Aang's cheek with his hand. "I think I'm the luckiest man on Earth to have found you, Aang." They kissed again. "I love you so much, darling."
"I love you, too."
A/N: The only relationship between Aang and his former boss is a boss/employee one. Shostakovitch is just really possessive of his designers.