Disclaimer: I'm just a geeky fangirl that likes to play around; I own nothing.


The Long Way Home: Chapter 2

He was going to class this morning. Following his lectures, he'd be returning home to study, and perhaps write a paper before retiring before the late hour of ten. It was the life of a studious, focused college-student. Call him crazy, but this life was refreshing.

Aki couldn't remember the last time he had eagerly anticipated anything. With a few very specific exceptions, he'd found his life extremely mundane and uneventful- up to a certain point. He'd wanted excitement, and always had. Hindsight was funny. It wasn't until a few years ago that he'd finally realized that although someone might just get their very wish, that the powers responsible for granting that wish could be vicious bastards with twisted senses of humor. He'd been granted the irregular, unpredictable life he'd craved, but not in the correct form. It was then that Aki had determined the excitement he got wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Or the form it had taken sucked, rather. He'd learned that when wishing, to always be specific.

He came from an average sized family, and had a decent, quiet upbringing. His parents had made sure he didn't want for anything, but he had never truly been appreciative of the easy life that had been handed to him.

In looking back, he supposed he had been a difficult teenager. Although he came from a good family, he had been displeased with the affection of both his siblings and his parents, preferring to be left on his own. Engaging in activities and antics that would surely leave his parents biting their nails and pulling out their hair had never had the effect Aki desired. In fact, his actions had the opposite effect. Not only was he spoiled, but indulged to the point of ridiculousness, which he supposed fueled his need to create a stir.

Now, he realized that acting up had been a cry for help. Unfortunately, Aki had been sounding a fire alarm when he should have been screaming flood or earthquake. His family had been paying attention, but he hadn't been giving them the correct clues.

Aki's parents had been more amused than anything else. His father often chalked up his behavior to the spirit of youth. Both of his parents had given him the benefit of the doubt every time, but his father in particular seemed to expect Aki to misbehave. So instead of discipline and questioning, all Aki had received in response was acceptance, understanding, and a ruffling of his hair in most cases. At the very worst, he had endured gentle scolding, provided his actions were alarming enough to warrant worry and warning.

Aki hadn't cared for that outcome. He often became quietly enraged, wondering why his family refused to react. Perhaps if they had, Aki wouldn't have turned out the way that he had. The only explanation he could provide at this current point in time was that if his parents had reacted in a desired manner, investigated further, and asked the appropriate questions. Of course, that was just speculation, and Aki would never be able to determine the reason absolutely.

No. that wasn't true either. Aki was also more realistic now that he had aged some. His parents were not responsible for the recklessness Aki had possessed. Aki had been desperate for his father to discover the true issue, but too fearful and reluctant to voice it himself.

He had spent his early teenage years on the brink of going quietly insane. He had done what was expected of him in regards to his schoolwork; earning flawless grades and engaging in extracurricular activities. It was a likely assumption that had he earned mediocre or abysmal marks in school, his parents may have sensed that his bad work, in addition to his outlandish behavior, signaled a more deeply rooted issue.

Truly, Aki could pinpoint the common denominator that had caused him to behave the way he had. Staying out too late, sneaking girls into his bedroom when he knew he was likely to get caught, light theft, and skipping classes had all had disappointing results, prompting Aki to take things one step further, and then another, until he found what he thought would bring him satisfaction. If he wasn't going to be saved, he resigned himself to make the most of the situation. Aki had even tried nearly starving himself on occasion while his mother fretted over his declining body mass. At least she was finally anxious about something.

He'd never expected to meet someone like Okada. He couldn't possibly have predicted how he'd end up doing the other man's bidding in such a manner. Despite the man's slightly twisted tastes, Aki had never resented him or questioned his demands. He had asked for his lifestyle, and during his darker moments felt a bit of pride at the knowledge that he was doing something so wonderfully scandalous. He'd straddled a fence for sure, besieged with regret and shame one day, but wallowing in his own indecency the next.

Was it a need to be controlled? Perhaps a craving for the discipline that he had never received while he was growing up? Or could it have been a desire to feel oppressed, an inability to recognize and appreciate the life that had been offered up to him by his family?

If that was the case, Aki had received what he craved tenfold. Okada gave all Aki had desired, with a few bonuses. That being said, Aki, after a year of living a lifestyle that most others would consider immoral, disgusting, and sadistic, had mouthed off to the man and found himself abruptly freed. Now that Aki no longer had that to fall back on, he felt both exhilarated and terrified. He recognized how sketchy his mindset had been, no doubt, but no matter how detrimental his state of mind, it was his. Plunging headfirst from that life to that of a normal college student had been jarring. Happiness and the depression warred for the crown, and Aki was unable to determine which combatant would rise victorious.

All Aki knew now was that his past was, of course, the past. He didn't quite understand his behavior, but now understood that he had absolutely no desire to repeat past mistakes and continue down the path he had traversed before. At the same time, he looked at his future with a measure of fear. He had been content to remain in that luxurious apartment, playing the part of Okada's meek, submissive, eager-to-please bottom, until he experienced the most mind-blowing orgasm to date.

Aki had played the stunning, limber, cunning and willing object of many a fantasy for roughly a year. He was no stranger to good sex- or bad sex, for that matter. He had been an active participant, as well as a dormant one, depending on the request or instruction. He had worn a variety of outfits and weathered a barrage of toys. He had been a conquest, an experiment and a role-player. He'd moaned, mewled, cried, purred and screamed with the best of them. He'd been trained to give the illusion to his partner that they were absolutely moving Aki's world, but never in his existence had he actually been as shaken as that day.

Aki recalled clearly that he had rested prone on his side in the living room, panting and shuddering, waiting for his frantic heartbeat to return to normal. Spasms had rocked his recently invaded body and he had felt so weak, the effort to even lift his head a chore. There had been a blaring roar in his ears, so loud and consuming that Aki, had he not been hindered by handcuffs, would have raised his hands to his ears in a fruitless attempt to stifle it. Adding to his distress, the man who had brought that out of him crouched next to him, and asked the most basic yet most unexpected question of all. That vocalization of concern had almost brought Aki to tears. He had told the man to go, that it wasn't safe for him to remain any longer now that Okada's desire had been fulfilled, although being left alone was not Aki's true wish, only instruction that was imperative for the other man's safety.

As the boy rose to his feet and made to leave, Aki had suffered a temporary moment of weakness, overcome by the urge to plead for him not to leave him alone. He wanted to press their lips together again, wanted to feel the velvety muscle of the other man's tongue sliding against his own, to wrap his arms and legs tightly around the other and to be embraced in return. He'd wanted to take his time and discover every nook and cranny of the other man. For the first time, the sensations of lust and the reassurance of comfort had been woven together, and Aki had not been prepared for it.

Physically biting down on that weakness and swallowing the words he so desperately wanted to voice, he remained quiet as the man tore out of the apartment. Ueno had seemed, felt different, and Aki suspected had he simply asked him to stay, that he just might have granted Aki's unreasonable request. But Aki had chosen this lifestyle, and that poor, unsuspecting pet sitter didn't deserve to be wrapped up in the cluster fuck that was Aki's life.

Aki hadn't been able to fully process what had occurred between the two of them immediately, though he had been completely affected and shaken. It hadn't been long before Okada had returned, but by then Aki's head had been full of chaos and rebellious urges. As usual, the man taunted him, almost as if Aki had planned for the visitor himself. The expected reaction from Aki would have been compliance. Aki would obediently answer all questions, and be released from all bonds for the remainder of the night. His master wasn't a complete, stereotypical monster; he simply had more severe tastes than others, but their relationship was sharply defined, and Aki wasn't a typical prisoner. Aki would take a shower and retire to his room, but he hadn't felt the lassitude that normally took over his muscles and the trance-like calm that followed. That night, all he had felt was disgust.

Aki had always wondered if the two of them were crazy, but never committed to the speculation. That day marked the first time he seriously considered that he must be sick. A year's worth of fuzzy memories assaulted him, and the shame finally came. The ass kicking that took place later that night took him even further. The pain had almost been welcome; he'd felt alive again.

Amazingly, after unlocking the door to his new place and gazing at those basic amenities in wonder, he'd slid gingerly into bed, and his mind held no room for anything but wonder. It made his head spin, his muscles weak, and his breath shallow. The reality that he was no longer a slave took him over.

Mouthing off to his master hadn't been in an attempt to get thrown out, but Aki had not and did not mind the outcome. When Okada had acted completely out of character and lashed out physically, Aki had taken his beating with a minimum of protest. It was a small price to pay, to be released from an existence that he had so suddenly found revolting. Aki knew he never would have severed the ties on his own; the forced separation was a blessing.

As Aki sat now, on a plush armchair among an elegantly decorated apartment, he was again reminded of the dramatic change in his environment. Finding a place to stay hadn't been difficult. His family hadn't asked questions. The only obstacle had been securing his housing without having to actually see his parents, lest they inquire about his injuries. He was healing nicely now and most of his injuries could no longer be readily detected, but at the time, his wounds had been obvious. His parents only voiced the single stipulation that Aki must return to school and work on pursuing a degree, which Aki had immediately agreed to.

As an added bonus, Aki had been able to see him again. Aki was well aware that the other man might not have any interest in talking to him again, but Aki had still approached him, assuming the role of the soft-spoken, unflappable man from the first night. Since then, Aki took delight in the blushes that so often took over the other his face, his awkwardness, and complete candor on a daily basis.

He didn't know how he felt about the man who he learned was named Ueno. He did feel a definite attachment; after all, he had singlehandedly given Aki an experience that finally made him see himself for what he truly was, which was a complete whack job in serious need of help or divine intervention.

Although happy at times, Aki was also faced with a predicament. In order to get to know Ueno more completely, at some point the truth would need to be revealed. Obviously Ueno knew some of it; it would be impossible for Ueno not to have gleaned some information from the situation before him when he had first entered the apartment. Aki's small hints had to make some of the facts pretty obvious as well.

For that reason, Aki had been hesitant to approach Ueno at all when he spotted him at school. His thundering heart had threatened to take flight, and he had felt slightly nauseous. But more frightening to Aki than the chance of Ueno learning of his previous actions was the possibility of this being his only chance to talk to the man, and it slipping away due to Aki's indecision. However, to Aki's surprise, Ueno hadn't seemed judgmental in the slightest, and didn't inquire about his background. Aki knew this didn't mean he was home free, though. If they became any closer, questions would be inevitable. Aki didn't know if he was prepared to explain his relationship with Okada. He didn't want to give Ueno any reason to turn away from him.

He was spared further thought after arriving at school and attending his classes that day, but swiftly returned to his musings toward the end of his third period. Today's lecture was more boring than usual, and that was saying something. He chose instead to focus on what lie ahead after the professor ended class. At least he could look forward to his lunch hour. He could cross the bridge of questioning when he came to it. Right now, Ueno didn't seem overly curious about Aki's past and didn't delve into his business. Perhaps he never would. Aki told himself it was pointless to get worked up about it before it actually happened.

As he tapped his pencil against his open textbook, he looked towards the clock, noticing that unless the professor went into overtime, which was a definite possibility, he only had roughly three minutes before he was rewarded for his good behavior.

Aki had been a good boy all day and all week. He showed to each and every class, completed his course work ahead of time, and did all the things college students did. For most, this was the norm. For him, it was a polar opposite of the life he had once led. Being normal was a struggle, although it shouldn't have been. Normalcy was Aki's desired path now, but he had rejected it at every turn in the before.

Fortunately, Aki didn't have to wait long. As the professor concluded his lecture and announced the assigned reading for the weekend, Aki stacked his few textbooks and rose to his feet. He was more than ready to go. After all, his reward was probably already in the cafeteria, and Aki was ready for his candy.