Genres: Drama/romance/?
Warning: contains shonen/seinen-ai. If you find this offensive, then don't read this (yes, it's as simple as that)! Plus the story contains elements concerning prostitution, PLUS either this chapter or the next will contain rape. (I'm eeeeevil, I know.)
Disclaimer: Fruits Basket is copyrighted to Takaya Natsuki.
Rating: PG 13, might go up to R (but I doubt it, well, who knows)
A/N: Thanx for the reviews. (I know, I write that in every chapter, but I think it's necessary.) No need to send anything concerning my note about the beta-reader thing, I've got one! Well, I'll proceed to torture my victims. * Gets freaked out glances from Shigure, Kyo, and Yuki. Akito looks pleased since he already knows who's going to be tortured by whom. * Hehe. I did warn you. . .
"Black Boudoir" - Chapter Nine
Kyo got to the café a half an hour after Shigure had called him at home. He burst in and practically ran to where his canine cousin was sitting. Yumi whispered a faint "Hey, Kyo!" which was completely ignored by the orange- haired boy. He dropped down on the chair, panting and Shigure looked at him with an amused air. Yumi came over and asked for his order. He asked for a coffee, but took back the order when Shigure mentioned the fact that he already seemed a bit on the agitated side and that caffeine would do nothing for his nerves. Kyo looked at him and shrugged.
" Okay, Whisky then." He said.
Yumi gave him a funny look and Shigure just sighed.
"What's wrong?" he asked Kyo
"Ah, just about everything. By the way, how did you get my phone number?" Kyo inquired.
"I had to look through your pockets last night to call your friend. She was in a hell of a bad mood." Shigure snickered. "She has a bit of a temper."
"Tell me about it." Kyo said dejectedly. Yumi brought the alcohol and Kyo swallowed it in one gulp. He was about to order another when he felt Shigure's hand on his arm and looked up to find a warm smile.
"I think you've had enough. Besides, it's too early to drink." Shigure calmly said.
"Fuck off!" Kyo spat "Yumi, another one!"
Yumi didn't move. She seemed to agree with Shigure.
"What the hell are you waiting for?" Kyo growled. This sent Yumi scuttering off.
Kyo looked back at Shigure who was making a slightly annoyed face.
"Look, I drink what I want. I'm old enough anyway, so there's not much you can do."
Kyo noticed Shigure smile faintly. It hit him: "Fuck off" is not the kind of thing you say to someone who actually does. (a)
'What's wrong with my brain today?' he thought.
"Sorry." He said quietly. "I've had a crap day." He offered as an excuse. Shigure's smile changed and became somewhat cynical.
"Really? I wouldn't have guessed. And besides, there are still about eleven more hours until it'll be over, so you still have time to suffer." This earned a guilty look from Kyo. Shigure, satisfied, continued "I suppose you'll be wanting to tell me about it, hmm?"
"Grunt"
"I'll listen." Shigure said patiently, all the while, the back of his brain registered a slight unease, but he made an effort to hide it.
"You know, that time I told you Uo thought you were my boyfriend. Well, at first she said so because of the way I asked to meet you at the café for the first time. It was thanks to her that I found out what the 'White lily is'. Now she's convinced that you're my lover. It's mostly because she's jealous. Anyway, I tried to ask her for help about the fact that Akito wants me to join the rest of the Sohmas. She just didn't believe me. She probably thinks it's some kind of excuse for me to move in with you." Kyo looked even more miserable than usual. "She's basically the only friend I have in this city. She feels like I've betrayed her trust, but she's the one who's doing the betrayal here."
"She must have it bad." Shigure laughed. His face turned serious. "Doesn't it bother you that she thinks you're gay and that you sleep with a man- whore?"
Kyo looked at him in shock. To tell the truth, he had such trouble imagining Shigure as a man-whore, that it had never crossed his mind that Uotani maybe thought that he had slept with him. He had not once even thought about his reputation, not to mention how it must have suffered from the rumour of him being gay.
"I haven't actually thought about it. Well, I guess not, since I know that it's not true." Kyo said slowly.
Shigure released his breath. Well, it hadn't exactly been what he would have liked, but the fact remained that miraculously, Kyo wasn't completely put off by the idea of his job.
Kyo suddenly asked a question. His face was turned down, hidden by his bangs, but one could see a mad blush creeping across it.
"Are you, um, gay?" Kyo asked, whispering the last word,
Shigure choked on the sip of green tea he had just taken. He went into a coughing fit, and Kyo, not having received and answer, hesitated, then went over to tap the older Sohma's back. Recovering his breath, Shigure tried to piece together an answer.
" Well, um, no, I'm not, but it gets to a point where no one in the trade can tell the difference anyway." Shigure offered. And registering the other's shocked expression added. "Personally, I've never been in love with another man."
Kyo looked up, reassured. Shigure was amazed at how transparent his younger cousin's face was. He himself did his best to always hide his thoughts under a mask, in order to keep everyone in the dark about what he was thinking. It was the only defence he had, but it was also the most useful one anyone could have. He thought he would have some fun with the boy.
"And what about you?" he asked with a grin. This made Kyo blush profusely. Shigure that he needed a little more air all of the sudden and took a deep breath.
"No! Of course not!" Kyo turned away. There was his blush again and Shigure had to fight to keep the corners of his mouth from turning upwards.
"Well, you never know." Shigure added with a wink. Kyo sat all the way back in his chair. He was exhausted. And he was dreading his meeting with Akito later that day. Why did everything have to come crashing down all around him so fast?
Shigure was looking out of the window. It was starting to get warmer, and the trees had buds on them again. He wondered what he would do now. He had made plans to leave the country around the time he had met Kyo, he now had a considerable amount of money in his bank account and had obtained a passport from the government, but he couldn't bear to leave Tohru. He had tried to talk about it with her, but she just insisted that she had to stay for everyone's sake. He had known her all of her life and guessed that it would be no use to try to convince her of his plans. She was such a generous person who basically lived her life to serve and help and care for others. He realised how selfish it had been of him to consider taking her away from those who needed her support. 'But I'm not Tohru' he thought 'I only care about myself.' This wasn't entirely true, but a few years in the business had made him extremely bitter.
"So, what about Akito then?" Kyo asked, tearing Shigure from his musings.
"Well, what about him?" Shigure said in a sigh.
"What am I going to do? Help me. I don't want to have any part in this." Kyo said.
"You'd better give in straight away, believe me it'll be easier on your nerves and on your body. He has a tendency to be violent." Shigure replied dryly.
"So that's it? You're not going to do anything?" Kyo snarled quietly to avoid attracting attention. Shigure looked Kyo straight in the eyes, a small smile playing on his lips. His eyes however showed nothing of what he might be thinking.
"Do you think that if I could do something I wouldn't have already done it? Believe me, I've been trying to get away for ages. We're all trapped. Even you are, now that you've decided to get involved with the family. And all the trouble your parents went to keep you from all of this has been wasted." Shigure said this with the tone of a science teacher explaining how the human body works.
* * *
Yuki stirred, a hand lying lightly on his neck. He stared at the red silk covered walls from where he lay on the futon in Akito's room. Akito looked like he was asleep, but Yuki knew that he might just as well be awake. He had decided long ago that it made no difference whether Akito was sleeping or not since there never seemed to be any kind of aura around him that would be kept quiet when sleeping. In waking as in slumber, Akito's movements were slow and dreamlike, his touch warm but faint and ghost-like. He hated the clan-head. Even though Akito was only a few years older than Yuki, he always gave him the impression of being wise. Cruel, sometimes slightly insane, definitely sick in all senses of the word, but wise none the less. He had learnt a lot from the clan head, for example how to manipulate people who followed their emotions. He himself felt so numb inside that he couldn't even remember having any. That was probably why Akito had ceased to try and influence him. He was a puppet without a free will, but he certainly hadn't lost the ability to think. He knew that Akito would go to great lengths to force the cat (Akito had forbidden him to use his name) into selling himself at the bar and in the rooms as well. 'It's ironic' he thought ' But I think I'd almost prefer not knowing the people I sleep with.' He still ached from the night before. The one good thing about Akito was that he put great emphasis on physical appearance and made sure to leave as few bruises on Yuki's body as possible. Now that he didn't have to use force anymore to get what he wanted from him, he was actually quite gentle when handling him. But there was one bruise that was inevitable and invisible. He had grown used to it, but it was painful, no matter what.
Yuki softly lifted Akito's hand from him, got up and slipped on his robe. He went to the corner of the room and cleared away the ashes from the incense that was continually burning in this chamber. He put a new stick in the holder and lit it, blew out the flame and watched the smoke waft towards the ceiling. He looked at the sleeping form. Akito disgusted him, that was for certain, but he had become an all-important part of Yuki's life and he paused to try and imagine what it would be like when he died. He found that he couldn't. Akito had broken him and then re-assembled him to fit his own standards. How could he possibly go on after his death? The thought crossed his mind that he would die with Akito. Realising this, he sighed and went back to lie down next to the older man. 'Well, you've finally done it' he whispered to the sleeping clan-head. 'I am bound to you.'
End of chapter nine.
(a) I couldn't resist that (. My friends always say that I have what they call "Humour noir" (= basically a sick, cynical, Gary Larson-like sense of humour.)
Well, guess the rape's gonna be in the next chapter. Tell me what you think about Yuki's relationship with Akito. I think it's rather interesting. Basically they're both miserable, and so is Shigure for that matter and Kyo, and Uo, I guess everyone is. (Note to self: maybe I should stop listening to depressing Goth metal {HIM, Muse} while I'm writing. It kinda influences me.) I haven't decided whether Shigure and Kyo will have a happy end or not. If you would like to have your say, maybe even persuade me, then please review. Well, what are you waiting for?
Isa
Warning: contains shonen/seinen-ai. If you find this offensive, then don't read this (yes, it's as simple as that)! Plus the story contains elements concerning prostitution, PLUS either this chapter or the next will contain rape. (I'm eeeeevil, I know.)
Disclaimer: Fruits Basket is copyrighted to Takaya Natsuki.
Rating: PG 13, might go up to R (but I doubt it, well, who knows)
A/N: Thanx for the reviews. (I know, I write that in every chapter, but I think it's necessary.) No need to send anything concerning my note about the beta-reader thing, I've got one! Well, I'll proceed to torture my victims. * Gets freaked out glances from Shigure, Kyo, and Yuki. Akito looks pleased since he already knows who's going to be tortured by whom. * Hehe. I did warn you. . .
"Black Boudoir" - Chapter Nine
Kyo got to the café a half an hour after Shigure had called him at home. He burst in and practically ran to where his canine cousin was sitting. Yumi whispered a faint "Hey, Kyo!" which was completely ignored by the orange- haired boy. He dropped down on the chair, panting and Shigure looked at him with an amused air. Yumi came over and asked for his order. He asked for a coffee, but took back the order when Shigure mentioned the fact that he already seemed a bit on the agitated side and that caffeine would do nothing for his nerves. Kyo looked at him and shrugged.
" Okay, Whisky then." He said.
Yumi gave him a funny look and Shigure just sighed.
"What's wrong?" he asked Kyo
"Ah, just about everything. By the way, how did you get my phone number?" Kyo inquired.
"I had to look through your pockets last night to call your friend. She was in a hell of a bad mood." Shigure snickered. "She has a bit of a temper."
"Tell me about it." Kyo said dejectedly. Yumi brought the alcohol and Kyo swallowed it in one gulp. He was about to order another when he felt Shigure's hand on his arm and looked up to find a warm smile.
"I think you've had enough. Besides, it's too early to drink." Shigure calmly said.
"Fuck off!" Kyo spat "Yumi, another one!"
Yumi didn't move. She seemed to agree with Shigure.
"What the hell are you waiting for?" Kyo growled. This sent Yumi scuttering off.
Kyo looked back at Shigure who was making a slightly annoyed face.
"Look, I drink what I want. I'm old enough anyway, so there's not much you can do."
Kyo noticed Shigure smile faintly. It hit him: "Fuck off" is not the kind of thing you say to someone who actually does. (a)
'What's wrong with my brain today?' he thought.
"Sorry." He said quietly. "I've had a crap day." He offered as an excuse. Shigure's smile changed and became somewhat cynical.
"Really? I wouldn't have guessed. And besides, there are still about eleven more hours until it'll be over, so you still have time to suffer." This earned a guilty look from Kyo. Shigure, satisfied, continued "I suppose you'll be wanting to tell me about it, hmm?"
"Grunt"
"I'll listen." Shigure said patiently, all the while, the back of his brain registered a slight unease, but he made an effort to hide it.
"You know, that time I told you Uo thought you were my boyfriend. Well, at first she said so because of the way I asked to meet you at the café for the first time. It was thanks to her that I found out what the 'White lily is'. Now she's convinced that you're my lover. It's mostly because she's jealous. Anyway, I tried to ask her for help about the fact that Akito wants me to join the rest of the Sohmas. She just didn't believe me. She probably thinks it's some kind of excuse for me to move in with you." Kyo looked even more miserable than usual. "She's basically the only friend I have in this city. She feels like I've betrayed her trust, but she's the one who's doing the betrayal here."
"She must have it bad." Shigure laughed. His face turned serious. "Doesn't it bother you that she thinks you're gay and that you sleep with a man- whore?"
Kyo looked at him in shock. To tell the truth, he had such trouble imagining Shigure as a man-whore, that it had never crossed his mind that Uotani maybe thought that he had slept with him. He had not once even thought about his reputation, not to mention how it must have suffered from the rumour of him being gay.
"I haven't actually thought about it. Well, I guess not, since I know that it's not true." Kyo said slowly.
Shigure released his breath. Well, it hadn't exactly been what he would have liked, but the fact remained that miraculously, Kyo wasn't completely put off by the idea of his job.
Kyo suddenly asked a question. His face was turned down, hidden by his bangs, but one could see a mad blush creeping across it.
"Are you, um, gay?" Kyo asked, whispering the last word,
Shigure choked on the sip of green tea he had just taken. He went into a coughing fit, and Kyo, not having received and answer, hesitated, then went over to tap the older Sohma's back. Recovering his breath, Shigure tried to piece together an answer.
" Well, um, no, I'm not, but it gets to a point where no one in the trade can tell the difference anyway." Shigure offered. And registering the other's shocked expression added. "Personally, I've never been in love with another man."
Kyo looked up, reassured. Shigure was amazed at how transparent his younger cousin's face was. He himself did his best to always hide his thoughts under a mask, in order to keep everyone in the dark about what he was thinking. It was the only defence he had, but it was also the most useful one anyone could have. He thought he would have some fun with the boy.
"And what about you?" he asked with a grin. This made Kyo blush profusely. Shigure that he needed a little more air all of the sudden and took a deep breath.
"No! Of course not!" Kyo turned away. There was his blush again and Shigure had to fight to keep the corners of his mouth from turning upwards.
"Well, you never know." Shigure added with a wink. Kyo sat all the way back in his chair. He was exhausted. And he was dreading his meeting with Akito later that day. Why did everything have to come crashing down all around him so fast?
Shigure was looking out of the window. It was starting to get warmer, and the trees had buds on them again. He wondered what he would do now. He had made plans to leave the country around the time he had met Kyo, he now had a considerable amount of money in his bank account and had obtained a passport from the government, but he couldn't bear to leave Tohru. He had tried to talk about it with her, but she just insisted that she had to stay for everyone's sake. He had known her all of her life and guessed that it would be no use to try to convince her of his plans. She was such a generous person who basically lived her life to serve and help and care for others. He realised how selfish it had been of him to consider taking her away from those who needed her support. 'But I'm not Tohru' he thought 'I only care about myself.' This wasn't entirely true, but a few years in the business had made him extremely bitter.
"So, what about Akito then?" Kyo asked, tearing Shigure from his musings.
"Well, what about him?" Shigure said in a sigh.
"What am I going to do? Help me. I don't want to have any part in this." Kyo said.
"You'd better give in straight away, believe me it'll be easier on your nerves and on your body. He has a tendency to be violent." Shigure replied dryly.
"So that's it? You're not going to do anything?" Kyo snarled quietly to avoid attracting attention. Shigure looked Kyo straight in the eyes, a small smile playing on his lips. His eyes however showed nothing of what he might be thinking.
"Do you think that if I could do something I wouldn't have already done it? Believe me, I've been trying to get away for ages. We're all trapped. Even you are, now that you've decided to get involved with the family. And all the trouble your parents went to keep you from all of this has been wasted." Shigure said this with the tone of a science teacher explaining how the human body works.
* * *
Yuki stirred, a hand lying lightly on his neck. He stared at the red silk covered walls from where he lay on the futon in Akito's room. Akito looked like he was asleep, but Yuki knew that he might just as well be awake. He had decided long ago that it made no difference whether Akito was sleeping or not since there never seemed to be any kind of aura around him that would be kept quiet when sleeping. In waking as in slumber, Akito's movements were slow and dreamlike, his touch warm but faint and ghost-like. He hated the clan-head. Even though Akito was only a few years older than Yuki, he always gave him the impression of being wise. Cruel, sometimes slightly insane, definitely sick in all senses of the word, but wise none the less. He had learnt a lot from the clan head, for example how to manipulate people who followed their emotions. He himself felt so numb inside that he couldn't even remember having any. That was probably why Akito had ceased to try and influence him. He was a puppet without a free will, but he certainly hadn't lost the ability to think. He knew that Akito would go to great lengths to force the cat (Akito had forbidden him to use his name) into selling himself at the bar and in the rooms as well. 'It's ironic' he thought ' But I think I'd almost prefer not knowing the people I sleep with.' He still ached from the night before. The one good thing about Akito was that he put great emphasis on physical appearance and made sure to leave as few bruises on Yuki's body as possible. Now that he didn't have to use force anymore to get what he wanted from him, he was actually quite gentle when handling him. But there was one bruise that was inevitable and invisible. He had grown used to it, but it was painful, no matter what.
Yuki softly lifted Akito's hand from him, got up and slipped on his robe. He went to the corner of the room and cleared away the ashes from the incense that was continually burning in this chamber. He put a new stick in the holder and lit it, blew out the flame and watched the smoke waft towards the ceiling. He looked at the sleeping form. Akito disgusted him, that was for certain, but he had become an all-important part of Yuki's life and he paused to try and imagine what it would be like when he died. He found that he couldn't. Akito had broken him and then re-assembled him to fit his own standards. How could he possibly go on after his death? The thought crossed his mind that he would die with Akito. Realising this, he sighed and went back to lie down next to the older man. 'Well, you've finally done it' he whispered to the sleeping clan-head. 'I am bound to you.'
End of chapter nine.
(a) I couldn't resist that (. My friends always say that I have what they call "Humour noir" (= basically a sick, cynical, Gary Larson-like sense of humour.)
Well, guess the rape's gonna be in the next chapter. Tell me what you think about Yuki's relationship with Akito. I think it's rather interesting. Basically they're both miserable, and so is Shigure for that matter and Kyo, and Uo, I guess everyone is. (Note to self: maybe I should stop listening to depressing Goth metal {HIM, Muse} while I'm writing. It kinda influences me.) I haven't decided whether Shigure and Kyo will have a happy end or not. If you would like to have your say, maybe even persuade me, then please review. Well, what are you waiting for?
Isa