Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to Stephenie Meyer

Many thanks to my pre-reader SwedenSara and to UKJay and afmtoo from Project Team Beta for their awesome help.


A/N:

Yukata dress

www. japan-guide. (c o m)/e/e2029_dress. html

Minamiza Kabuki Theatre

photos. wikimapia. (o r g)/ p/00/01/02/39/29_big. jpg

Kabuki

www. youtube. (c o m)/ watch?v=67-bgSFJiKc

Nijo Castle

en. wikipedia. (o r g)/wiki/Nij%C5%8D_Castle


Chapter 9 – Time to Celebrate

2007

EPOV

For the first time during our stay we were woken up by a ringing of the phone. I glanced at my watch and gasped — it was already past eight o'clock.

I listened as Jasper talked to the front desk. His Japanese was fast, and I couldn't tell where one word ended, and where the next one began. Even talking over a phone he kept gesticulating with his free hand. He'd said once that it was a bad thing, and he shouldn't have kept doing it, especially in Japan, but he'd admitted it was too hard to break the habit.

Me? I found it adorable.

Jasper bowed politely and hung up. When he turned around and caught my gaze, he smiled shyly. "What?"

"Nothing." I smiled back. "I love it when you speak Japanese. I don't understand a word, but it makes me feel secure, knowing that you do."

"The maid will bring our breakfast soon. Morning, babe." He kneeled down on my futon and eyed me with a hint of worry.

"Morning. I am all right, really." I eyed the strands of hair falling down along his face and noticed my body telling me how much I in fact liked this protective and strong side of him. Lying below him and looking up to him sort of characterized our relationship. My constant searching for his help and approval. This need for having a strong person in my life was making me nervous and ashamed. Had he noticed? Was it the true reason why he'd called me 'baby'?

I raised my hand and traced Jasper's face with the back of my fingers, watching as he inhaled and, eyes closed, leaned against my touch. I kept moving my hand slowly, amused by the way Jasper followed me to keep the connection.

Why do I feel ashamed that I like him being stronger than me? I thought as I eyed his dreamy expression, wondering when he'd start to purr. He is bi. Will my submission make me look too feminine? He doesn't like to top — at least he said so. But he is bi, that doesn't make any sense. Does it mean he pretends to be a bottom to make me happy? Will I make him feel miserable?

"What are you thinking about?"

I didn't notice that I'd withdrawn my hand from his face. Jasper's eyes were open and worried again. I felt a pang of guilt.

"Nothing. Fuck breakfast." I ran my fingers through his hair and pulled him down to me.

"Shit, baby, stop, she'll be here in half an hour. Oh, shit. Do it again."

Half an hour. Am I up to the challenge? Half an hour is plenty of time, considering he is hard already. I smiled. "Oh, I love to. And this… and this too…"

"Shit!"

I briefly glanced at my wrist watch — thirty minutes, minus some time to get him out of her sight and get me dressed… I brought my fingers to my mouth to moisten them, determined to make him come in twenty-five.

...

A mischievous grin played around my lips as I opened the door half an hour later.

I got to know the maid during our stay; she spoke a little bit of English, and was nice and fun to talk to. We chatted while she was arranging the meal on our low table. Then I bowed just like Jasper would have done, and she left.

I leaned against the wall next to the bathroom door and knocked.

I loved his laughter. I loved his hand that grabbed my yukata and pulled me into the bathroom. I loved that he wasn't fully dressed yet. And his aftershave was making my knees weak.

"Breakfast is getting cold," I protested futilely.

"Fuck breakfast." He had his fingers already hooked behind my obi.

"Breakfast first." I tried again.

He chuckled. "And fucking later?"

"Shut up. How come you're not dressed yet?"

"Hmm, how come you're not shaved yet, huh?"

"Busy morning."

"I can tell." He chuckled and then there was that spark in his eyes. "I'll help you with the stubble, if you want…?"

"Your way?" I asked distrustfully.

"Of course my way, silly. At least you'll get to know what it's like to have a perfect shave." He smirked at me and grabbed his shaving gel, watching me expectantly.

"Uh, well, okay…"

"I'll take good care of you," he whispered before he leaned closer to kiss me.

I sat down on a low cabinet and watched Jasper filling the sink with hot water. "I don't get why you insist on using this medieval thing." I ran my fingers through bristles of the brush.

He stole the brush from my hand and put in the water. "You'll see and convert." He smirked and splashed some warm water on my face.

"No way." I smirked back.

The touch of the bristles on my face and neck was surprisingly pleasant. I parted my legs so that Jasper could stand closer, allowing him to apply a non-perfumed lather in long up-and-down strokes on my skin.

I couldn't resist; he was too close, too naked, and too irresistible. I slid my hand under the towel that hung on his hips, and he scowled at me. I caressed his inner thigh and played innocence the best I could.

Jasper set aside the brush and picked up a razor, waving it threateningly in front of my face. "Would you be that confident if I was shaving your balls?"

"I'd never let you come close to them with this." I faked horror. Okay, not so much faked. "I'll stick to the modern methods, thank you very much."

"So, let me do my work here… Are you deaf?"

I slid my hand further up. "Are you chicken? Not up to the challenge, huh?" My hand finally made the desired contact, and he inhaled sharply. Then he pressed his lips together and determinately placed the razor onto my cheek.

"Keep going, like I wasn't even here." I chuckled, but as soon as the razor began to move, I shut up. Teasing Jasper was one thing, but spilling my own blood was a totally different issue.

I was looking up at him, my gaze never leaving his face. Yeah, apart from occasional hissing or closing his eyes, he managed to stay focused and work like there was no teasing hand of mine. I loved the danger, loved the power I had over him, and loved the growing tent in my yukata.

The only sound in the bathroom was scraping of the razor sliding down my face and throat.

When he was done, he wriggled from my touch, rinsed my face with cold water and gently patted it with a dry towel. Then he rinsed his brush and razor and grabbed his aftershave. "Use this one today. It has no alcohol in it."

He smirked at my tent. "Good luck with that!"

"Oh, wait!"

"My breakfast is getting cold." He waved at me and left.

"Shit."

...

When I got out of the bathroom, he was already halfway through to breakfast menu.

It included roasted mackerel, rice, tofu in sauce, the Japanese version of an omelet, and pickles. Both of us got our own private pot over the tea candle with vegetable in broth and a pot of green tea.

"Where would you like to go?" Jasper asked, as I was pouring myself the tea. "The main events won't start until the afternoon and will then last late into the night. So we can go wherever you want."

"No, we are going to do what you'll choose. What would you like?" I smiled at him.

"Well, thanks." He grinned at me. "What about the Nijo Castle?"

"Nijo Castle it is then."

After the breakfast, as we packed a few things for the day out, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders from behind and kissed his neck. "Hi, babe. You know, I have kind of a problem. Someone soaked my favorite jeans yesterday." I placed a kiss on the back of his shoulder. "You have no idea how hot it was, actually." I moved to the hair that was falling slightly over the rim of his collar and tugged. "I really loved it, you know."

I saw him placing his feet wider apart for balance and closing his eyes. I kept talking, placing kisses on his neck. "But the thing is… they are ruined for today… What do you think… will these jeans do?"

"Anything will do, if I get you out of it tonight," he breathed out.

I dropped the jeans I had been holding in my hand on the floor, and when he turned his head, I captured his lips with mine. Then I walked around him to have better access to his half-revealed chest. "Just where did you say we are going to go today?"

"Um, I…Nijo Castle? Maybe?"

"Uh-huh. What do you think? Will the castle still be there tomorrow?" I palmed his crotch.

"Oh… I… Well,… the thing is… will I kick you out of bed tomorrow?"

"Good point." I sighed and picked up my jeans from the floor. I noticed with satisfaction Jasper's leaning against the wall to catch his breath. Yeah, the sweetness of revenge…

"Cab or walk?" Jasper asked when we got out of the hotel.

It was a lovely morning. The sun was already high up and its strong rays were making sure we knew how hot the day would be, but right now the air was still pleasantly cold.

"Where are we going?"

"Gion Shijo."

"Walking." It was just about a half a mile to the Gion Shijo train station, and I loved the fact that I knew the way already. It made me feel at home. There was the Kamo River, just next to the station, and the Potoncho Alley with its lovely restaurants and verandahs was just across the bridge.

And besides, there was a Starbucks in the Gion Hotel on the way to the station.

We walked down the quiet backstreet, then went past the gate to the old Gion district, where we had been the first day, and then we turned right to a busy street that led directly to the underground train station.

"Shit!"

I hadn't gotten used to the left-hand drive layout, and if Jasper hadn't pulled me away, I would've ended up on the hood of the white Toyota.

The boy behind the wheel stuck his head out of the rolled down window, and as his Japanese staccato reached us, Jasper's fingers dug into my arm, and he hissed as he stepped between me and the driver.

Before he could say anything, though, the stream of cars farther up the street moved, and the driver stepped on the gas and drove away.

Jasper loosened his hand and let go of the breath, he was holding. "Shit. Man, you need to watch for cars coming from the other side when you cross the street. God, I haven't heard those swearwords since my school years." Then he cringed. "Yeah, I guess we deserved it."

"You must teach me some." My heart was still thumping like mad.

"Forget it. You can get us in trouble even without them."

"Huh, I need a —"

"Coffee. I know. But you'll buy it yourself. Really, man, what's so irresistible about coffee in the morning? I can't even bear the smell of it." He rolled his eyes.

"Try it and you'll convert," I said remembering our morning banter about shaving.

"No way." He smirked back, and I entered the cafeteria grinning like a fool.

When I came back several minutes later, I found Jasper absorbed in his guidebook. "Don't you know everything by heart already?"

"Hot coffee and ice cream?" He eyed my full hands. "Are you nuts?"

"The ice cream is for you." I was handing him the raspberry ice cream from the nearby vendor.

Jasper looked like he was going to melt faster than my little gift. "Really?"

I liked how he wrapped his fingers around my hand and pulled me closer to take a nibble at the ice cream. I couldn't let go of the cone, and my eyes couldn't leave his. When his tongue circled the scoop, the temperature got somehow hotter. Then I noticed the pink drop on his lip, and I instinctively leaned closer to kiss it away.

When Jasper cleared his throat to bring me back from my trance, I swore and freed my fingers from the evil ice cream. "And you say I will get us in trouble." I sighed, watching him sinking his teeth into the pink dessert. I wondered whether I could really feel jealousy towards food.

Both sides of the street were shaded by a green and white canopy with lanterns of the same colors. Yesterday evening the street was glowing, but today the feel of the Far East was gone, and all there was to look at were windows of little shops and restaurants.

We were almost at the station.

"Do we have the time today?" I stopped like a whiny kid.

Jasper licked the last drop of ice cream from his finger and looked at me. "What for?" Then he took in the surroundings and sighed. "Sure. Today is the day. Shoot."

"Can we go in?" I asked.

"No, it's hardly 10 AM. You don't really expect it to be open, do you?"

"Have you ever been?"

"In Tokyo? Twice — sort of," he said, and I noticed that he cringed and pressed his lips tightly together.

"Was it fun?"

"Honestly, Edward, I don't know you'd enjoy Kabuki. I mean, it's in Japanese, it's long, and the music is kind of loud." He was starting to be antsy.

I was looking up at the huge old building – The Kabuki Theater. There were some pictures from the performance at the entrance, and I had been circling around the theme since we had walked past the building for the first time. Jasper unfortunately didn't share my enthusiasm. He always changed the subject, making my curiosity grow even more.

"You went with the guys from your work?"

"Just drop it, okay?"

I was shocked by the tone of his voice. He was mad. Or hurt. Maybe both. And it was me who made him feel that way. I am such a jerk, I thought.

I came closer and joined him on the green railing that separated the small open area in front of the theater from the road. He was leaning against the railing, his face hidden behind his palm. And I realized that there was a whole load of the things that I didn't know about him. All our talks had been about me.

Have I ever asked him about his girlfriends or boyfriends? About his own break ups? No, I thought. Me, myself and I. That's my world and that's what I've been pushing on Jasper since we met. I am such a jerk. Do I even know how to make him happy instead of miserable? How can he even stand me?

I slowly traced a seam on his slacks with my finger tips. "I am sorry."

"What do you want to know?" His voice was muffled by his palm. "About Kabuki, I mean."

"Nothing, it's okay. I am sorry for being such a jerk."

Jasper sighed in frustration. "Honestly, I won't ever take you to Kabuki performance, so let's just get this over with. This," he pointed to the theatre, "is the Minamiza theater. It's the oldest Kabuki theater in Japan."

He took a deep breath and continued. "Kabuki itself is from the 17th century. You saw those pictures, didn't you? The actors – only men can take part – wear a heavy makeup and sophisticated costumes. They sing and dance and sometimes freeze in a pose, to make a bigger impression. People in the audience can shout at the actors and the atmosphere is quite… wild."

He cringed at the last word and got up, smiling bitterly. "Yeah, that's the way to put it… wild. Brian would laugh at the irony." He mumbled and turned around. "Can we go now?"

I was already one step behind him.

Brian.

Jasper had never mentioned any Brian.

My mind was racing, and I suddenly felt threatened by the name.

I don't want any Brian around him. Wild or not. I don't want to share Jasper with anyone. Are they still in touch?

I felt a strange pain in my stomach and needed to overcome the sudden urge to press Jasper against a nearby glass panel with rolling ads. To make the glass thud under our weight, to press my thigh between his and to attack his lips with mine.

I was overwhelmed by the possessiveness I suddenly felt. I couldn't do anything about it, though. Jasper looked so lost in his own thoughts that I was afraid to even touch him. I shoved my fists into the pockets of my jeans and followed him.

We crossed the street and ran down the stairs into the underground station. At the next station we changed to subway. The two sets of trains using the transport systems didn't share platforms, and even though they were conveniently adjacent where possible, getting from one to another could involve a long trip through corridors.

I tried to hide it from Jasper, but I loved the Japanese subway. It was fast and bright and clean, but what I liked the most —

"Edward?"

"One more, okay Jasper?"

"One?"

"Promise."

"Edward, come on. Don't they have a subway in Seattle? Have you noticed that it's always the same? What are you waiting for? That they miss the door once?"

"You're waiting for it too?"

"Edward, you are incorrigible."

"I have nine days off! I can't remember when I had nine days off. Even over Christmas it wasn't that many. One more. Sit, enjoy and shut up!"

"Okay, can we go now? They didn't miss, did they?"

"No, they didn't...?"

"Don't even think about it, we are leaving!"

Jasper was right, every time there was a train in sight, I turned into a five-year-old. And that was why we weren't at Nijo already. That was why we were sitting in the subway station, watching sliding doors. The rails were separated from the platform by a glass wall with sliding doors. So, when the train came, it had to stop exactly on one spot so that every two pairs of sliding doors — the glass ones and the train's — matched. I hoped that one day, maybe, the driver would make a mistake, the door wouldn't match, and I would laugh my ass off.

"Edward, don't you think that all those trains are operated by some sophisticated software? So, the driver doesn't need to push the button to stop? Hell, there maybe isn't even a driver!"

"Calm down. I know. But where is the fun in that?"

Jasper gaped at me with his mouth open, and then he raised his hands. "I give up."

...

The first impression from the Nijo Castle was a city within a city. A lot of both large and small buildings, many gates and several gardens on extremely large area. There were lots of visitors, but the inside squares were so large that the castle didn't feel crowded.

It reminded me of the Chinese Forbidden City in Beijing. I remember dad having a postcard from one of his friends when I was a boy. It pictured the city from above. He kept it in his bookcase, and I even used it once as a bookmark. I loved the picture, and dad didn't mind my borrowing it, but I had to be careful not to lose it.

"See something you like? Where did that broad smile come from?" Jasper wrapped his arm around my shoulder as we walked around.

"Better. I see something I know." I looked around. "You know my dad had a postcard of the Forbidden City in Beijing when I was a kid. It was photographed from above, and I loved to pretend it was a big maze. I planned where to hide, where I would live, and which path in that maze I would take to sneak to my friends' houses. Do you have a bird's eye?"

"Sure I do." Jasper was keen to know more. "What do you think?"

"Oh, that's different." I was a bit disappointed. "There were just tiny gardens on the postcard, lots of buildings with alleys and small gates and courtyards, especially in the rear part. That was the part where people lived. There were large buildings in front with really large paved squares like in this castle. I guess they were that large so that all the military fitted in during a parade, I don't know."

"On the other hand," I looked at the plan of Nijo in Jasper's book, "this place would be fun to live in too. Which house would you choose?"

"Yours."

My stomach clenched, and my breath hitched as I stared at him. Then I took the book from his hand; he wasn't looking in it anyway. I took a step toward him and put my arms around his waist.

"I love you, Jasper," I breathed out. "It took me an insane amount of time to recognize the feeling, but now I know I love you."

I didn't wait for his answer and pressed my lips to his. I knew I shouldn't have; we were standing in the middle of a large square with lots of people around, but I couldn't stop myself. I almost lost him once because of my hesitancy and doubts and shame, I could never let that happen again.

When our lips parted, I whispered in hurried tempo, "I know I shouldn't have kissed you here in front of all these people, and I know it's probably early, but I was afraid the other day that I'd lost you already, that it was too late, I can't let that happen. I don't know what I would do without you, you pulled me out of that dark hole every time, and you know me like no one else does, not because I told you, but because you care, and you wanted to know, but I was so afraid that I had scared you away by the way I was lately, and…and…" I needed to catch my breath.

Jasper just stood there, smiling. "Done?"

"Umm, for now I guess?"

"I love you too, Edward. I have for a long time. You couldn't have scared me or pushed me away even if you tried. I knew there was nobody else I wanted to spend my future with. Only you."

And the world stopped. The birds flying above the castle stopped flapping their wings and froze in the air; the wind stopped blowing, and all people at the square disappeared. He returned my kiss, and I hoped that if we got arrested because of public nuisance, we'd spend the time in jail together. Because there was no way I would remind him of the warning he'd given me several days ago, and I definitely wasn't about to complain about the way he was kissing me.


A/N: Thank you very much for reading and reviewing.