Pocky and Promises
Chapter 10: Swimming in Secrets
Disclaimer: I do not own Gravitation, but I'm working on it. Just kidding!
Warning: Sexy boy on boy action this chapter, though likely not what you are expecting. You've been forewarned.
Dedication: To Lances, because she's just that awesome, and was kind enough to grace me with a review. And of course, I also dedicate this chapter to all those who have read, and reviewed "Pocky and Promises," because reviews make the world go 'round, mine at any rate. You guys are awesome and encourage me all the time and I can't thank you enough. I also dedicate this chapter to Rizay, because she gave me the boost to add yet more angst to this story. So after these next few chapters, when you're ready to kill me, she has to take some of the blame too.
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Shuichi finally awoke from the first decent night of non-medication induced sleep he'd had in ages. The gilded rays of sunlight played across his face, and he again was reminded of Ryuichi. He was rather beside himself with the way he had acted the previous night, but couldn't say that he regretted it in the slightest. He made to get up, but found it more of a challenge than he'd originally anticipated, as Ryuichi had practically wrapped him up as a Shuichi burrito with how tightly the blankets were tucked in. He allowed himself to laugh before wriggling like a jellyfish to get out of the cocoon.
He arched his back, stretching an arm above his head and the other draped across his stomach, enjoying the simple expansion and contraction of his lean muscles as the tension ebbed away. Shuichi's peaceful, quiet morning was destroyed in an instant as he suddenly found another occupant settled in bed next to him. He barely had time to blink before Ryuichi's smiling face was far too close to his. He ignored the anticipation pounding in his blood, and returned the gesture nonchalantly, and then pink overtook his vision. Ah, Kumagoro had come to play too.
"Come on Shuichi! Let's go on an adventure!" shouted his exuberant host, slim fingers encircling his wrist the way his hands had held his waist not so very long ago. Ryuichi didn't give Shuichi the chance to refuse as he bounded off.
"Anou," Shuichi muttered, thinking of a shower and breakfast before anything else, like most normal people at ungodly hours of the morning. He also thought they were far too old for adventures, as he was pretty sure the last he'd gone on, he'd been no older than twelve. Faced with a puzzled Ryuichi, he fumbled for words about food and hygiene, when Ryuichi sighed dejectedly and pointed Shuichi in the direction of the bathroom.
Well that hadn't gone as planned, Ryuichi thought, and shrugged it off quickly. If Shu-chan was going to get clean, then he might as well cook, or at least attempt to. There was a reason why Ryuichi was forbidden from entering Tohma's kitchen, but no one else needed to know about that. Determination lined his face, and he was confident that he could handle eggs and toast. However, when Shuichi emerged from the bathroom with steam trailing along behind him, and nothing on save for a towel slung low on his hips, Ryuichi's mouth went dry as cotton, and he accidentally bumped the dial, which went unnoticed as the mostly naked pink haired singer wandered innocently into his field of vision.
Shuichi sniffed the aroma, before his violet eyes widened in alarm, and he sprang for the stove, and Ryuichi incidentally. He quickly removed the skillet from the raging inferno Ryuichi had accidentally conjured, turning the knob off, and setting the pan onto a cool burner before rescuing the toast from its impending doom. He wiped a hand across his brow, and turned a vivid smile to his host.
"I think you just might be worse than me in the kitchen Ryu-chan," Shuichi laughed amiably, pulling down plates and searching for chopsticks, but only found forks. "You've gone all American on me Ryu-chan," he giggled, shoving roughly half of the eggs onto each plate, and tossing two pieces of toast haphazardly as well.
Shuichi ignored the fact that the toast was burnt into oblivion, and the fact that the eggs were scorched somewhat, and bits of the shell were mixed in with what was intended to be scrambled eggs, but when he bit into a section that was far too hot, he dropped the fork, eggs and all onto the floor, screaming,
"It burns! It burns like the fiery pits of Mordor!"
Ryuichi had also ignored how inedible his attempt at breakfast was, and had to admire Shuichi's tolerance, but lost all composure at that vehement exclamation. As he smothered his uncontrollable laughter, he managed to pass Shuichi some apple juice, which the other singer drained quickly, and had to ask,
"So Shu-chan, you've read 'The Lord of the Rings'?"
Shuichi opened his mouth to reply, creating a small puff of smoke as he did so, and looked sheepish, "Well, not exactly. I tried, but I got bored with it, so I just ended up watching the movies," he admitted, peering up at Ryuichi from beneath feathered bangs.
"Why am I not surprised?" Ryuichi teased, gathering another forkful of hopelessly overdone eggs.
"Mou," Shuichi complained good-naturedly, and would have done the same, had he not abandoned his fork to the mercy of Ryuichi's tile floor. "Seriously, where are the chopsticks?"
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After surviving what had likely been the most treacherous breakfast of his life, and borrowing clothes from Ryuichi, as he had yet to unpack his own, Shuichi found himself being dragged outside into the overly bright sunshine to what appeared to be a large park. Just as he was about to ask what "adventure," they were supposed to embark on, he felt Ryuichi touch his arm, and scamper away, shouting,
"Tag!" over his well-toned shoulder.
A competitive gleam crept across Shuichi's face. He was a champion at tag, being lightweight and quick on his feet when necessary. There was no way that he'd lose to Ryuichi. However, Shuichi quickly discovered just how endless his companion's energy could be. Two hours later, Shuichi was panting, his hands on his knees as he fought to regain his breath. Who knew that someone ten years his senior could play so hard? A blush stole across his cheeks as his mind ran amok and he shrugged off thoughts of Ryuichi in that manner. He may be attracted to the elder man, highly confused by that attraction, and enjoyed kissing him thoroughly, but he still loved Eiri, or so he told himself.
He was jolted out of his introspection by a splash of unnaturally cold water. Dripping, Shuichi didn't have to look far to find his assailant. Ryuichi giggled like a maniac, which, Shuichi supposed he was after a fashion, and just when the other man thought he'd get away, Ryuichi was encompassed in slippery arms that took him directly into the small pond, where they scared the wits out of the koi who inhabited it.
Gasping for air, they rose to the surface, laughing like children, and most probably breaking laws by swimming there in the first place, but neither particularly cared.
It was a weary Shuichi, and a mildly subdued Ryuichi who clambered out of the slick edges of the water some time later. The day was sufficiently warm that the breeze soothed rather than chilled, and the sun strong enough to dry their soaking wet clothes. An unplanned nap soon followed, and Shuichi subconsciously shifted closer to Ryuichi's side.
Ryuichi loved naps, they always left him a little groggy, but entirely happy all the same. All traces of sleep left him in a flash, however, when he opened leaden cobalt eyes, to find Shuichi watching him, that tempting lower lip currently trapped between his teeth, and cautious fingertips treading across his chest. His breath hitched, when the younger man set his jaw, and leaned down to claim Ryuichi's mouth, rubbing his sun-warmed lips against his in a soft, but promising kiss.
He gasped when those lips curved upwards into a wicked grin that looked altogether wrong when overlain with an expression that screamed of innocence. Rational thought fled the country, presumably to have lunch with common sense somewhere far, far away, when Ryuichi felt that mouth affix itself to the side of his super sensitive neck, and sucked, hard, before biting down with exactly the right amount of pressure to bring his mind to a screeching halt, and all his remaining neurons focused on one thing, and one thing only.
"Take me Ryu," Shuichi purred into his ear while lazy fingers began to divest him of his shirt as blunt nails raked down his sides and hovered somewhere around the line of his hip before his lips soon followed, sucking and nipping at the hint of flesh quickly being revealed to his lustful gaze.
Ryuichi couldn't respond verbally, but merely grasped a hold of Shuichi's silky hair, moving his lower body towards the searching mouth, and neglected to recall the last time he'd moaned that loudly, nor grown hard at such a simple act, but his body seemed to do all the thinking for him as he arched his back beneath Shuichi's ministrations, and yearned for more of that heated skin as he finally remembered to participate, and all but tore the fabric that had the gall to separate him from Shuichi's slender body.
An inquisitive hand slipped beneath his pants, skirting the waistband, past his belt that had become unfastened without his knowledge, and he nearly whimpered aloud when those tortuous fingers brushed against him. Ryuichi's eyes flashed in primal response, and he reversed their positions so quickly that Shuichi barely registered the significance of his rapidly disappearing clothing, until heated bare skin lay flush against his own. Violet eyes threatened to turn black as they latched onto Ryuichi's normally sapphire hues that had darkened to the clearest midnight he'd witnessed, and he'd never felt more open and vulnerable than right in that moment, but then Ryuichi did something that successfully snapped him out of his insecurities.
"Fuck!" Shuichi moaned, his erection suddenly engulfed in violently hot bliss, and he shuddered under Ryuichi's unrelenting gaze. His lips smiled around the tip, and when he spoke, the vibrations spread up Shuichi's spine, enveloping him in his first full body orgasm.
"If you insist," Ryuichi teased, his clothes could have melted for all Shuichi cared, and he gasped, before groaning deeply into Ryuichi's pierced ear as he laved the lobe with his tongue when he was entered swiftly with a lubricated finger, Shuichi didn't have to think too hard as to where that lubrication might have come from. His hips arced up sharply when a second was added, and they curled, just there, finding the place that eradicated all brain functions. Those questing fingers continued to ply him, relax the tauntingly tight muscles while making him writhe deliciously beneath Ryuichi, when a third breached him as well, and he wanted to scream when they pulled back. He wasn't to be kept waiting for long. Who could resist a pouting Shuichi after all? And those delectable lips parted on a silent sigh as a pleasantly warm length slowly replaced the skilled digits.
Ryuichi had intended to thrust away, full force, but with Shuichi gasping into his ear, and the raging heat that enveloped and threatened to overtake him, and the tightly ringed muscles that clamped around him, he feared to move. He gave himself a minute, or five, to adjust, but Shuichi took matters into his own hands, rocking his hips experimentally up against him, and he couldn't suppress the guttural groan that was torn out of his throat.
He had no choice now, but to finish what had been started, and grasped Shuichi's left leg, lifting it, and tilting his hips just so, rocking forward, and grinned like the proverbial cat who'd eaten the canary when Shuichi threw his head back with a distinctly feline mew, and rode him as though his life depended upon it. He congratulated himself when he had his younger lover panting like a dog in heat, and lost all self control as the long, low moan climbed from the other man's voice box, morphing into a sound that was without form or rhyme or reason, or actual words for that matter, but so sensual that it made his ears wish they had a penis, just so that they could climax with him. A final thrust, and he bent forward, continuing to relentlessly stroke Shuichi's prostate with each movement of his hips, then bit down hard at the juncture between the enticingly exposed neck and shoulder that begged for their homage due, shuddering like mad as those muscles clenched around him, and he chanted Shuichi's name in a mantra as he came harder than he ever had before.
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Pressure on Ryuichi's chest eventually caused him to open exhausted eyes, and he blinked in confusion as a fully clothed Shuichi leaned over him curiously, seemingly concerned.
"I was getting worried about you Ryu-chan, you were tossing and turning, and seemed to be talking in your sleep, though I couldn't understand most of it. Are you alright?" he asked, moving to touch the back of his hand to Ryuichi's forehead, when the brunette pulled away in alarm.
Ryuichi had a vexing problem that he didn't particularly care to let Shuichi in on right at the moment, so he squeaked something incoherent as he ran off into the trees to calm down, and pound his head against something to perhaps regain some of the dignity he'd dropped alongside the self-control and respect he'd been delusional to assume he still possessed. It had been a damn dream. Oh kami-sama he'd love to scream his anguish at the sky right now, but Shuichi would ask questions, or better yet to turn right around and make that dream a reality, but then Shuichi would really ask questions. Therefore, he settled for the shortest masturbation session in history, no supplemental incentive was required for some strange reason.
Relieved, yet apprehensive all the same, Ryuichi returned and smiled reassuringly at Shuichi, helping him to his feet.
"That was strange," Shuichi wondered aloud.
Ryuichi ignored the blush that wished to steal across his cheeks, and instead began to lead them back to his apartment building.
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"I'm sorry if I made you over-exert yourself after being in that icky hospital for so long Shu-chan, I just thought it would be a good way to cheer you up and help you relax a little," Ryuichi offered in apology once they had made it back to the safety of his apartment, his head tilted in such a way that his densely layered bangs hid his eyes.
Shuichi shook his head. "You didn't push me too far or anything, I actually think it was a very sweet thing to do, even if it was earlier than I ever get up on my own," he giggled, speaking truthfully; for Ryuichi's actions had strongly reminded him of what Hiro might do when he took care of him if he were acting decidedly un-Shuichi-ish; if Hiro had been prone to such spontaneous moments lacking any forethought or deviation from the norm that is. Hiro had written the survival with Shuichi handbook, but it appeared that Ryuichi would be making some additions as well. He hadn't felt this at ease in so long, and he had only Ryuichi to thank for it. Poor Shuichi, his blissful respite from the world was about to come to an explosive end in the form of Uesugi Eiri.
Later on that evening, when Ryuichi had excused himself to the shower, leaving Shuichi to his own devices, as he lay mindlessly on his host's black micro suede overly stuffed couch, the phone rang. Mildly irritated as it was interrupting his channel surfing, he answered without thinking, without checking to see who might be calling, and nearly dropped the phone.
"Eiri!?" he exclaimed, throwing frantic glances in all directions, thoroughly flummoxed by this turn of events.
"You sound surprised to hear from me Shuichi," the low voice of the author slithered through the line, sounding quite amused, in a coil of emotion that constricted his throat and dimmed his mind.
Shuichi shuddered, damn that voice. "What can I do for you Eiri-san? And how did you get Ryu-chan's number anyway?" he asked, resuming his position on the cushions, continually watching for Ryuichi to appear out of nowhere. The guilt twisted in his stomach like a python, and left an acrid burn in the back of his throat. He hadn't even been here a full day, and already he was likely going to be hiding things from his friend. He felt so furtive and dirty in that instant.
The smirk in Eiri's tone was audible as he replied, "Oh there are a number of things you could do for me, Shuichi, but I'm afraid that most of them will have to wait. And as for the number, have you altogether forgotten who I have for a brother in law, not that I could blame you much. But for now, I'd settle for you agreeing to meet with me at such a time that I am released from the hospital, which should be within a few days, and without your guard dog," he added with a scowl.
This was so very wrong, but Shuichi couldn't bring himself to prevent it. "Why Eiri?" he muttered, his head dropping into his hands, the television programs quite forgotten.
Eiri gave pause before replying, so his little lover thought himself in a position to question his authority? Oh this was going to be even more delightful than he'd previously thought. His next words were chosen with the utmost of consideration and care.
"Well, the day I'm released is to be my first appointment with my psychiatrist where I was planning on finally explaining things to her, to talk as long as I need to, to be able to get her help with what's happened, to be honest with her, and more importantly, myself. And I wanted you there, for the support only you can give Shuichi, but if you can't I understand," his voice was smooth as silk, but he placed the inflection in just the right places, playing on Shuichi's sense of duty and empathy like a drum, turning the dials as though he were adjusting a radio. He knew his toy very well indeed, and he was supremely proud of himself for not choking over his flowery, pugnacious, and sickly words. He was putting up with quite enough from his insolent slut as it was, so he had better give him a hell of a show after all of this was said and done.
Eiri's quick thinking had paid off, because Shuichi was gritting his teeth in barely restrained agitation, but agreed all the same, and the guilt swam anew within him. He was going to have to outright lie to Ryuichi, and he returned the phone to its cradle, his lazy, complacent mood evaporated.
At that moment Ryuichi came striding into the living room clad in a pair of silken black pajama pants and a mostly unbuttoned cream colored shirt that looked to be made of some equally costly fabric that moved with the fluid grace of water and clung slightly to his still damp body. Shuichi's troubled gaze took in the sight, dimly aware that his host was obtusely rich, and that on another frame, even his nightwear could be intimidating, but Ryuichi was the exception it seemed.
Ryuichi's laughter at some unspoken joke died on his lips when he surveyed the train wreck that was his friend's expression.
"Shuichi?" he questioned in a low voice, taking a tentative seat next to him, and let gentle fingers brush the back of the clenched fist.
With the greatest effort it had ever cost him, Shuichi forced his lips into what could pass for a smile, and attempted to lie directly to Ryuichi's face, however, judging by the frown his idol now wore, he had failed with flying polka dots. He jumped when Ryuichi turned away and stood quickly, his own hands curled tightly to his sides, but his voice was soft when he spoke, and therefore all the more painful.
"Shuichi, if you can't tell me something, or don't want to, please just say so, but don't lie, not to me," was all Ryuichi could bring himself to say lest he lose his temper, and he retreated to his room, staring at his ceiling in muted concentration while lying on twisted sheets and blankets until exhaustion drew his eyes closed into restless slumber.
Shame was a tangible thing; alive and wrenching his veins open with its vise hold. Shuichi maintained his composure until Ryuichi had left him to his own devices, and then he all but ran to the guest room and buried his face in a pillow, screaming his frustration, anger, and every other emotion into it, desperate for a purging of those feelings that promised a slow death by asphyxiation if he should allow them to remain trapped.
Breathless and flushed, Shuichi's cheeks were hot to the touch, and he shoved the pillows away to lay the overheated skin on the cool sheets, searching for solace in the champagne colored linens scented with lilac. Right this moment he almost wished he were one of those strange Americans who hurt themselves intentionally, methodically, just so that he could have control over something, but he knew for a fact that he was too much of a pansy to ever do such a thing; plus leaving a mess like that for Ryuichi to clean up would make him a terrible house guest. No, there was no alternative for him, Shuichi simply had to deal with Eiri on his own.
"Fuck," he moaned aloud, entirely miserable again. Why did the gods see fit to make his life one big joke or endless confusion? "All I can say is, there'd better be one hell of a carrot at the end of this stick, because I seriously feel like an ass," he muttered petulantly as he drew the blankets tightly around him, hoping to feel just a little of Ryuichi's lingering warmth before he succumbed to the icy kisses of despair.
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A/N: First of all, as I was advised to include some jokes, I tried, although this particular chapter had its light moments, I'm warning you lovely people that Shu and Ryu aren't yet in the clear, because seriously, what kind of author would I be if there was only one conflict for them to overcome? And what kind of story would that be? Would you ever want to read anything else I wrote? I didn't think so. Secondly, guys I'm so incredibly sorry for the delayed update. My dad has been so sick and in and out of the hospital, so I haven't had much energy or motivation to write, so please forgive me. Hopefully he'll stabilize, and I'll do my best to ensure that it won't be so long again, my apologies dear readers. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention this, as the good news to tell you guys, there will be another song in a later chapter, and I'll have puddles of melted fangirls at my feet, because Shuichi is going to write, and sing it for Ryuichi. Hopefully that will keep you darlings from getting too rabid on me. And I imagine that Shuichi would prefer pocky dangling at the end of the stick as enticement, wouldn't you?
Reviewer Responses:
Sa-chan: Yes, Shu and Ryu do belong together, at least in this particular story, but I'm afraid they're not there yet. Have faith in me, and thank you for the encouragement, and I hope you enjoy this chapter, despite the angst.
Kureaa-fallen-angel: I'm glad that you like where I'm headed, though you might not be too pleased with this next bit, at least there's some interesting interaction earlier in the chapter to help I hope. Thank you for the review!
Randomly: Oh Shu will see the light, he has already, partially, but he's confused as hell. Poor thing, and thank you for that clarification. Angst is something I enjoy in doses, but I try not to include too much, otherwise it eventually makes the reader jumpy, but too little, and it's only fluff. Personally, I think that's one of the trickier aspects of writing, myself. Thank you for the support, and I hope you like the chapter.
Serenity Usagi Tenou: Your reviews never fail to make me smile, so thank you so much. I greatly enjoyed writing that part, because sometimes words just seem to fit together perfectly, and I'd like to think that those did. Sparkly, and added to your favorites list, well there is really no higher honor, is there? Thank you so much for the continual encouragement you've supplied for nine solid chapters, I appreciate it so much. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.
Sarahfreak: A Yuki beating stick huh? Sounds kinky, but I think I'll leave that to you. Yes, Ryu and Shu are just adorable together, though perhaps the dream sequence adds a little edge to them as well? Thank you for becoming a repeat reviewer, and I hope you enjoy this chapter too.
Used-romance: Eiri can definitely be a bastard, and you see more of his manipulation here, but he isn't done interfering I'm afraid. He never learned how to let go after all. It's exceedingly kind of you to say I'm the best, though I don't necessarily feel it's warranted, but thank you so much all the same. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
DarakuTenshi101: Yes, Eiri does fit the villain bill doesn't he? Such a deviant, but I do love his hair. Thank you for the encouragement, and for being such a faithful reviewer through each chapter.
Chibi Fujiwara: Not a problem, I try to answer any questions thrown my way, unless of course it would give things away that I don't want to yet. I've seen arigatou spelled that way, or without the u, and with two o's instead, so I think the Japanese language is a little ambiguous with the romaji spellings perhaps. And no, Pocky and Promises is certainly no PWP story, though there is sexual content. I'd like to believe that when I include sex, that if it's taken as smut, that it's tasteful smut. I have no idea though, that's up to the reader's discretion. I hope you enjoy the chapter.
RemindsmeofaWestSideStory: Thank you so much. I'm very glad that you like Pocky and Promises, it's a pet project, as it's my first attempt at male slash fiction. I hope you enjoy this chapter too.
Rizay: Ah, Rizay, my tough love reviewer. And I smile as I say that, I promise. Yes, the edge did slip down a bit, but that's due in part to two things; one, I admit that I like writing fluff lol, and two, because it's about to get pretty angst-y in here. I understand what you meant, how that could have been the final chapter, but, I'm not done yet. I would not be satisfied leaving it where things were in chapter nine, there are so many things I feel are unresolved as of yet, and things that I haven't gotten to yet. And as for the lemon scene, well, you get a hint of one, I think it's decent for my first attempt, but I wrote it as a dream because I'm unsure of my ability to write such things, though it doesn't bother me at all, and because it's too soon for them, because I don't want their relationship to be only about sex. Though of course I could have done it differently, hopefully this satisfies the need for a lemon, without it actually being one just yet, lol. I hope I haven't put you off, and feel free to consider chapter nine the end, but it isn't quite yet. I think there are probably, pauses to think, four to five more chapters left, maybe six if I get really detailed. I've always appreciated your constructive criticism, and highly valued your praise. Thank you so much for reviewing so often, and I hope this also helps add some more tension.
L'uke chan: Too serious, yes, I suppose I can see what you mean. So I tried, in places, to lighten things up, and I also included that little phrase flub at the end, just for you. Thank you for reviewing, and I hope you enjoy this chapter, despite the hot boy sex that turns out to be in Ryuichi's sex starved brain, and the added drama.
Papyr Crayne: A Twix moment, is a phrase used when someone needs a moment to think of what to do next. If you've ever seen a Twix commercial, that might explain it better. Basically, when you've been caught either doing something you shouldn't, or don't know what to do, it's a moment to come up with what to do next. I'm glad you like the story and I hope you enjoy the chapter as well.
ToritheInvader: A crime against nature, well we can't be having that, now can we? I am deeply flattered, that you'd think so highly of my story to say what you've said, and to spend so much time reading it. Ryuichi sends you one of his amazing smiles, and a scribbled "shiny" drawing, and Shuichi offers you a piece of pocky for being so kind. They still seem to be acting as they should even when they're OOC, oh thank you so much, you have no idea how relieving that is to hear. Yes, I enjoy plot, and I intend to keep it that way as long as possible. Please enjoy the chapter, and thank you for your time and review.
Tora-Star: Cosplaying as Ryuichi is so much fun. I got glomped by an L from Death Note at my convention, and she was really hot. I'm glad that you like my writing style, I want my readers happy after all. I hope you like this chapter too.
Eiri and Kurama lover07: I'm glad to hear you like Pocky and Promises, and lookie here, I did update, although much later than I intended, but I couldn't do much about that.