I apologize for the lateness of this update! This chapter is a little different and will be in mostly Gareki's POV. I want to thank everyone again for the reviews they are much appreciated :)
"Yogi, wake up."
The blonde stirred as he heard his name called, slowly opening his eyes to find Gareki lying next to him. He was happy; it was lonely waking up without the brunette the first night they spent together.
"What are you smiling for?" Gareki asked, a slight blush in his cheeks.
"I'm glad you're still here," Yogi replied cheerfully. Gareki's dark hair was mussed from sleeping and he found it rather adorable. As alluring as he looked last night, Yogi liked him better this way, disheveled in his old t-shirt.
"Idiot, this is my bed. Where else would I be?" Gareki smirked as he sat up and stretched. "I didn't know when you wanted to head out. I thought I should wake you up before it got late."
Lamenting the loss of warmth as the brunette moved away from him, Yogi reluctantly sat up as well. He noticed the clock on the night stand read nine in the morning. "I suppose I should be going soon." His stomach was suddenly in knots realizing he had to face Jiki again. Checking his phone, he was surprised to see he had no missed calls or texts. That was strange; he was sure at least Tsukumo would try to contact him. They must really be disgusted with him.
Suddenly there was a soft knock at the door. "Breakfast is ready!"
"I guess Tsubame decided to cook this morning," Gareki said as he got out of bed. "You might as well stay and eat before you go. She's probably trying to make a good impression on you."
"Sounds good to me!" Yogi was relieved he could put off seeing his friends for a bit longer. He got dressed and followed Gareki out to the kitchen where a plate of scrambled eggs and a glass of orange juice were waiting on the table for him.
"We didn't have anything besides eggs to cook for breakfast. I hope that's okay!" Tsubame smiled shyly at the blonde.
"I'm sure they're delicious," Yogi assured her as he took a bite. They were just simple eggs but they tasted good to him. He hadn't realized how hungry he was.
"You never make us all breakfast, Tsubame. Do you have a crush on Gareki's friend?" Yotaka teased as he sat down next to them.
"I'm trying to be nice to our guest!" she responded, pouting in annoyance with her twin. "Besides, he's not my type."
"It's okay. I don't think you're his type either," Gareki grinned knowingly at Yogi, causing the blonde to turn red with embarrassment.
Tsubame giggled at Yogi's reaction, but her kind demeanor soon put him at ease. He had a pleasant time chatting with Gareki's siblings while he ate. He felt like getting to know Gareki's family was helping him get closer to the brunette in some small way. As he finished his last sip of juice, he realized the fun was over; he had no more excuses to keep him from seeing his friends.
"Thank you for the meal and for letting me stay the night. It was really nice meeting you both!" Yogi told the twins as he got ready to leave.
"I'll walk you downstairs," Gareki offered, grabbing his keys and heading for the door.
As they reached the front door of the apartment building, Yogi paused. He had been so worried about confronting Jiki that he hadn't thought about when he'd see Gareki again. Meeting him at the club last night had been sheer coincidence; he couldn't stand the thought of parting ways and leaving their next meeting up to chance again. "Gareki?" Yogi asked hesitantly. "Um…I was wondering if you wanted my number. You know, just in case you wanted to get in contact with me."
"Sure, you can have mine too," Gareki replied, pulling his phone out of his pocket. They exchanged phones, adding their numbers before handing them back to one another.
"I don't want to seem rude, but I'm a little surprised you have a cell phone. Isn't it expensive?" Yogi asked, worried he sounded too intrusive.
"Normally I wouldn't be able to afford one. Hirato gave this to me so he can keep in touch whenever he needs me. He pays the bills for it."
"Oh, I see." Yogi felt uneasy as Gareki mentioned that man's name. He essentially owned Gareki in every sense of the word. Just thinking about it made Yogi upset. "Please, don't hesitate to call me if you need anything," the blonde added, concerned about leaving the other boy.
"I'll do that," Gareki said, a slight smile on his lips as he turned to walk back up the stairs.
"Wait a second!" Yogi grabbed the brunette by the hand to stop him, giving him a gentle kiss before he left.
"Isn't this what got you in trouble in the first place? If you keep stealing those for free, I'll be the one in trouble next," Gareki teased as they parted. "Now stop procrastinating and go see your friends. If they give you a hard time, you can call me."
"Thanks, Gareki, for everything," Yogi smiled, stepping out the door to face whatever was in store for him.
"Your friend seemed really nice Gareki! You should bring him around more often," Tsubame said brightly as Gareki reentered the apartment.
"He's not really my friend… I'm not even sure if I'm ever going to see him again," the brunette replied truthfully.
"Really? That's too bad," his sister sighed. "Maybe if you had someone like him in your life, you'd smile more often."
Gareki frowned at her comment, heading to the bathroom without another word on the subject. As he got into the shower, letting the warm water wash over him, he couldn't help but think about what she said. What would happen if he let someone like Yogi into his life? Gareki had shut people out for so long. If he forced himself to become numb to emotion, to keep everyone at arm's length, there was no way they could ever hurt him or take advantage of him. He had gotten used to this way of life; it wasn't until he met Yogi that he realized how lonely he truly was. He had forgotten what it was like to have someone care about him. It went against every instinct he had, but for some reason he trusted Yogi. He was completely innocent and uncorrupted, the exact opposite of himself. Beside a light that shined as bright as Yogi, he must seem utterly filthy. No matter how long he stood in this shower, he could never scrub himself clean of all he had done. Yet the blonde still accepted him for everything that he is.
The real question was could he accept Yogi? He had opened up to the blonde in a way he had never done with anyone before. He shared his story with him, let him meet his family, but still he was held back by the same fear he always had. What if he was wrong about Yogi? What if he turned out to be just as selfish and cruel as everyone else? Or worse, what if he did let him in, and he lost him just like Tsubaki? It was so much easier to be alone.
He shut off the water and got out of the shower; he didn't want to dwell on this anymore. After getting dressed he pulled a book off his shelf and started to read. Unable to afford to pay for television or really any form of electronic entertainment, books were his one indulgence. During the day he usually had plenty of free time and used it to get as much reading in as he could. Today, however, he couldn't seem to get into his book at all, his mind too preoccupied with thoughts of Yogi.
Gareki's thoughts were interrupted as his phone beeped. He saw he had a text from Hirato.
I need to see you immediately.
That was odd. Hirato rarely contacted him at this time of day, and it sounded important. Whatever reason he wanted to see him, he couldn't ignore it. He threw his shoes on and headed out the door, telling the twins he was going for a walk.
Hirato's apartment was located in a luxurious high rise, so upscale that Gareki couldn't help but feel painfully out of place whenever he visited. Arriving on the correct floor, he found the apartment he was looking for and knocked cautiously on the door. He didn't think Hirato would summon him like this unless he was upset with him for some reason. Gareki had always done what he was told and didn't cause problems. He had been wracking his brain the entire way there trying to figure out what he had done wrong. Unless….no, it couldn't be that. There was no way he knew about Yogi.
"Ah, you're here. Take a seat, Gareki," Hirato said calmly as he answered the door, ushering the younger boy inside. He looked handsome in his expensive suit as usual; his good looks only served to further bolster his talent for manipulation.
Gareki sat down in the chair while Hirato took a seat on the couch directly across from him. This was starting to feel like an interrogation already. "So, why did you want to see me?"
Hirato sighed, adjusting his glasses before he began. "Gareki, you've always been a good employee. Why is it that now you feel the need to make trouble for me? Haven't I always treated you well? Given you everything you've ever needed?" he questioned. His voice and demeanor were very casual, but the iciness of his violet eyes gave away his displeasure.
"I don't understand what I've done. I wouldn't do anything to intentionally cause trouble for you," Gareki replied, feeling more and more apprehensive as the minutes passed.
Hirato smiled, as if amused by Gareki's ignorance. "Yesterday I got a phone call from an old friend. He was in the city and, being aware of my line of work, wished to find a companion for the night. I told him where you would be last night, thinking you would be a good fit for him. I was under the impression everything would go smoothly, so you can imagine my surprise when he calls me to tell me you left him for another man."
Gareki paused, remembering back to last night. He must be referring to the redhead he was talking to when Yogi showed up. Now that he thought about it, the man did say he was told he could find him there. "That red haired guy, he was your friend?" he asked, his voice shaking a bit. "I didn't know. I'm sorry that I caused you problems."
"Gareki, is it your policy to turn down money when offered to you up front?"
"No, of course not."
"That's what I thought," Hirato mused. He got up and walked over to Gareki, roughly grabbing a fist full of the brunette's hair and pulling him off the chair; all pretenses of civility were gone in an instant. "Tell me why, then, did you turn down Tsukitachi? If another customer wanted to buy you, then take their money and have one of them wait their turn. That is your job, isn't it? You don't have the right to pick and choose who gets to fuck you."
"I'm sorry! It won't happen again I swear," Gareki assured him, attempting to keep a straight face through the pain.
"Where is the rest of the money from last night?" Hirato demanded. "I hope you made enough to make up for your failings."
Gareki froze in horror. He had nothing to give him. He didn't charge Yogi last night, and instead of finding another customer, he took the blonde home with him. His soft spot for Yogi had cost him more dearly than he had realized. How could he have been so stupid, letting his emotions get the best of him like that? He never would have let this happen before. "I… I didn't make any money…" he forced himself to speak, his words barely a whisper.
The anger in Hirato's eyes was truly frightening. He slapped Gareki's face so forcefully he knocked him to the ground. "This isn't like you, Gareki. You better have a damn good explanation," he spat, kicking the younger boy hard in the stomach.
Gareki cried out in agony, the pain so excruciating his mind could barely process what was happening. He opened his mouth to speak, but his words were lost as he began to cough blood. He had to try to sit up, to get out of this vulnerable position.
The moment Gareki tried to pull himself up, Hirato kicked him back down, pinning him in place with his foot. "I didn't say you were allowed to get up. Answer me, Gareki. If you left with another man, where is the money he paid you?"
"It's not like that with him…he didn't want to buy me…" It took everything Gareki had to answer him. He was sure with that last kick he had broken a rib; every breath felt like he was being stabbed.
"Then why the in the hell were you wasting time on him? Don't tell me, is he your boyfriend? Did you really think you could keep something like that a secret from me?" Hirato bent down and pulled Gareki toward him by the collar of his shirt. "You don't get to have your own life. You belong to me. You are supposed to be out there making my money!" he growled, shaking the younger boy violently. He suddenly let Gareki drop to the floor, smoothing back his hair as he calmed his temper. "Lucky for you, I'm giving you a chance to fix what you have done. Tsukitachi has paid me for you up front and should be here any minute."
"I can't do it. I can't even breathe…" Gareki struggled to pull himself up, holding his side. The pain had brought tears to his eyes that he could no longer hold back.
"All you have to do is lay there and be a good boy. I'm sure you can push through the pain, though it's not as if you have much of a choice," Hirato responded, his voice dripping with self-satisfaction. He took Gareki's face in his hand, forcing him to look directly at him. "You brought this punishment on yourself, Gareki. You should be happy to make it up to me." He wiped the blood off of the corner of Gareki's mouth with his thumb, a smug smile upon his lips.
Hirato's words made Gareki sick to his stomach. If he had never met Yogi, perhaps he would have truly believed he deserved to be punished. Perhaps he would have been happy to be shown this small mercy, taking the opportunity to show he could be an obedient employee. Yet all that came to mind now was the way Yogi held him, telling him that he deserved better than this, reminding him that he wasn't alone. Sitting there on the floor, barely able to move, his own blood splattered down his shirt, he realized one thing: he did deserve better than this.
"I won't do it. I don't want to do this anymore, any of it," Gareki said defiantly, looking Hirato directly in the eyes without fear.
Hirato began to laugh, thoroughly amused by the younger boy. "You really think you can survive without me? You're just a filthy little gutter rat, and you always will be. You don't have anywhere else to go."
"I think I'll take my chances." Fueled by his contempt for Hirato, Gareki finally managed to stand up, heading for the door without a second glance.
"You ungrateful little brat," Hirato snarled, grabbing Gareki and shoving him against the wall before he had a chance to escape. "I have given you everything! You don't get to walk away from me!"
Gareki could feel fingers tightening around his throat, cutting off his ability to breathe. He struggled to get away, but his consciousness was beginning to fade. He couldn't die like this, not this way. He had tried so hard to learn from Tsubaki's mistakes, but he had ended up just like her, dependent on someone dangerous. Now he would die just like her. He thought of Yotaka and Tsubame; who would take care of them if he was gone? Yogi had reminded him that everything he had done was to give them a decent life. Did he really go through so much hell just to have it be all for nothing? He couldn't die now; he had people who needed him, people who loved him. He wouldn't leave his siblings to fend for themselves.
Mustering up every ounce of energy he had left, Gareki gave Hirato a swift kick to the groin. The man cried out in pain, letting Gareki go on reflex. The brunette took this valuable opportunity to run to the door, his body moving on pure adrenaline. Though his chest was screaming out in pain, he never stopped running, not even when he got to the street. He had to get as far away from there as possible.
After a few blocks his body gave out on him. Unable to go on, he collapsed in the middle of an alley. He thought he knew where he was going, but he couldn't be sure; he felt as if his brain wasn't working properly. Gareki knew he had to get to Yotaka and Tsubame immediately. Hirato had never been to his apartment, but he was sure he knew where it was. It was the first place he would look for him. He tried to stand, but his injuries had been severely exacerbated by his escape. He had yet to catch his breath, blood sputtering in his throat as he coughed. It seemed he had no choice but to rest until he was capable of moving once again.
His siblings had no phone; there was no way to warn them that they were in danger. If Hirato got to them he'd surely use them as bait to lure Gareki in. There was no way he had pushed his body to the limit to get away only to come crawling back to face an even more tortuous punishment. There was only one person he trusted enough to help him. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed the number.
"Yogi? It's Gareki. Listen carefully. I need you to come back to my place and pick up my brother and sister. Take them somewhere safe, got it? Me? I'm…"
Everything went black, his mind slowly slipping into unconsciousness.
