In Between Dances

By Yanagi-sen

WK songfic

Usual disclaimers, etc etc etc… Song is by Pam Tillis. Sequel to Winter of a Broken Heart. Ishida Nanjiro was created by Kiki.

Warnings: language, shounen ai

His co-workers had finally worn him down, convincing him to go out with them for an end-of-the-year party. It really wasn't his thing, bars and smoke and drinking, and he absolutely hated beer; but he just couldn't go home to that empty apartment again. He sat in a dark booth at a popular dance club, pretending to drink the beer his companions had gotten for him. He took another sip and made a face. Setting the glass down, he pushed it away from him with distaste.

Maybe he should just leave. The guys he had come with were all out on the dance floor. He envied them their obvious enjoyment. The office was going to be closed for the New Year's holiday… what was he going to do with himself for a whole week? He sighed, resting his chin on his hand.

A cup of coffee appeared beside his elbow.

There's room at my table, why don't you pull up a seat

"Beer's not to your taste, ne?"

He looked up. A young man stood there, one who looked somewhat familiar. It was the blue hair that jogged his memory. Ishida, he worked in another office and Nagi had passed him in the hallways a couple of times. He slid into the other side of the booth, looking out towards the dance floor.

"You take it with cream and sugar, right?"

Nagi looked into the cup, sure enough, it was lightened. He picked it up and took a sip, sweetened to his taste as well. He found his voice. "Yes, thank you."

"No problem, it looked like you weren't enjoying your drink."

The music's inviting but I'm staying off of my feet

"No." He sipped the coffee again, wondering why the young man was sitting there. Didn't Nanjiro have better things to do than baby-sit him?

"Your name's, Naoe, ne?"

"Oh, sorry. Yes, Naoe Nagi."

"Ishida Nanjiro, nice to meet you." He turned to face the brunette. "I haven't seen you out here before."

"No." He waved his hand in the general direction of the dance floor and his compatriots. "They insisted I come out… end-of-the-year and all that."

"Ah yes… 'to the end of the year'." He toasted the air with his glass. Belatedly, Nagi followed suite. He looked at the brunette shrewdly. "You don't seem to be in the mood to celebrate though."

The floor's getting crowded, but I don't wanna take part

Nagi shrugged. "It wasn't a very good year."

"I would think you would be happy it was over then."

"Hmm." The brunette mumbled neutrally. Yes, he was glad it was over, but facing the new year was even more difficult. A new year, a new life, a new time to grow and live and be alone. He noticed the other young man's eyes were still on him. He looked at Ishida quizzically. "What?"

"I can see the rumors running around the office are true."

"Rumors?"

I bet you can guess it's got something to do with my heart

It was the young man's turn to shrug. "That you've had a break up with that blond guy. You've been different the last month or so, and he hasn't been around for a long time."

Nagi ducked his head, scowling. "It's personal."

"You're right, but when has that ever stopped the gossipers?" He waved his hand toward the dance floor. "They're like a bunch of old women. I just thought you should know it's going around."

"Gee, thanks."

"Sorry."

"It's not your fault." He glanced up, eyes hardening. "Is it?"

Ishida snorted. "I don't pass gossip, but they were talking right next to my desk last week. I couldn't help but overhear."

The brunette rubbed his forehead. Just great, now the whole office was discussing his nonexistent love life.

"Hey, you don't look like you're enjoying yourself, let's get out of here."

That sounded good to Nagi. He grabbed his coat; it was still unusually cold outside. He tossed some yen on the table; if that didn't cover his drinks the other guys would just have to deal. He followed Ishida out into the busy streets.

"I know this great coffee shop not far from here. Did you get any dinner?"

He shook his head. They guys had just wanted to get to the club so they hadn't stopped for anything.

"Okay, we'll get something to eat there."

I could sure use your company now

The blue-haired young man had been right, the coffee shop was great. It was fairly quiet, the booths and tables positioned so that one could find companionship or privacy as they desired. The sandwiches Ishida ordered for them were generous as were the cups of coffee. Nagi ate hungrily; he had forgotten to get lunch again. When he was done, another half appeared on his plate. He looked up.

Ishida was smiling wryly. "Eat it; you look like you could use some more food."

Nagi ducked his head sheepishly. "I'm sorry, I forgot about lunch today."

"I noticed. You should eat more. I stopped for dinner before getting to the club."

Still he hesitated. This was the other man's food.

"If you don't eat it, it's just going to go to waste."

"Oh, alright." The rest of the sandwich disappeared quickly. It was… nice, to eat with someone else again. Nagi hadn't noticed how much he disliked eating alone.

But don't be mistaking my smile

"Better?"

"Yes, thank you."

"Don't mention it. So, can I call you, 'Nagi'?"

He blinked. "Um… I guess. It doesn't really matter one way or another."

"Oh good, call me Nanjiro. Ishida makes me think my father is standing over my shoulder."

Ishida… did he mean THE Ishida that was the vice president of the company? That could explain how he could get away with the blue hair, like a displaced college student. And his eyes… they were green?! And they didn't even match, weird. "Ishida?"

"Yeah, Ishida Jiro."

"Isn't he…"

"Yeah yeah, vice president." He waved his hand dismissively. "He's my father."

"Oh. Is that why?" He glanced at the blue hair.

Nanjiro laughed. "He complains about that at least once a week but I like it. I'm not heading into management or public relations so I don't care. Same for the eyes."

"They are… unique."

"Colored contacts of course, and no, they aren't supposed to match."

I'm only in between dances / Sitting it out for a while

He got up to order some more coffee for them. Nagi played with the empty sugar packets, making little origami objects. "Hey, you're pretty good at that."

"Huh?"

"The origami, those are really tiny. How do you manage to fold them so tight?"

Nagi blinked. He couldn't exactly tell Nanjiro that he used telekinesis to help his fingers. "I don't know… I guess I just have a knack for it."

"Cool. So what about your eyes? Contacts?"

"Oh, no, they're real."

"Mine are real too. As real as little pieces of colored plastic can make them."

Nagi snickered. "Good point. Mine actually are blue though."

"Wow. Gackt must pay a fortune for his contacts and you get such pretty eyes naturally."

The brunette looked away, uncomfortable. "My eyes are not as pretty as Gackt's."

"Sure they are, they suit you."

Midnight eyes stared into mismatched green. Was Nanjiro flirting with him?!

The partners are chosen, look at them waltzing away

The young man's smiled softly. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"

Nagi glanced away. "A little."

"I'm sorry. I just didn't want you to get away without giving it a try."

"Get away?" He looked back, curiously.

"Of course. I guess you don't realize what a catch you are."

"Me?" His voice was distinctly skeptical.

"Sure." Nanjiro grinned. "You're smart, young, and cute as hell." Nagi hid his face in his hand, he knew he was blushing. His companion laughed. "See, you're adorable."

"I am not!" He protested weakly.

The tempo gets slower, closer and closer they sway

Nanjiro leaned his chin on the heel of one hand. "Hasn't anyone ever told you how attractive you are?"

He looked away, remembering not only Omi but all the others. He'd been told he was beautiful for most of his life, usually by people who wanted something from him. But coming from Nanjiro… it was different. The flattery felt sincere, like in those early days with Omi. "A few."

"Guess you haven't done much dating then."

"Not really."

"You know, you are allowed to tell me to fuck off if I'm bothering you." He said with a grin.

"You're not bothering me."

I've had my moments when I could get lost in the sound

"Oh good. I was a little afraid you would have run away screaming by now."

Nagi's mouth twisted into a rue grin. "You're not that scary." Not by a long shot compared to some of the things he'd seen.

"Hmm… I think my mother would beg to differ." He smirked and downed his cup.

"Were you a problem child?"

"I AM a problem child. At least to her. She wanted a doctor, my father wanted a protégé. I just wanted to work with computers. What about your family?"

Nagi looked down, playing with the rim of his cup. "No family."

"Ah, sorry."

"It's okay. I'm used to it."

"So you really are all alone."

"I am now."

But when the song ended the one in my arms let me down

"I'm really sorry. Here I'm trying to distract you from your troubles and I end up reminding you of them."

He sighed. "It's really not your fault." Everything reminds me of him, he added in his mind.

"Let me make it up to you."

"Make it up to me?"

"Sure, let me take you on a date."

I could sure use your company now / But don't be mistaking my smile

"Date?!"

"Too fast huh? We can call it 'hanging out' if you prefer."

He really didn't know what to say or how to act. Flirting wasn't something he had ever learned how to cope with or reciprocate. He felt like he was back attending a normal school for the first time, trying to figure out how to act like the others, but not sure what to do.

Nanjiro was apparently taking his silence for dissent. "Hey, if you don't want to, that's okay. I understand…"

"No… no that's not what I want."

I'm only in between dances / Sitting it out for a while

The young man grinned and smile slowly spread across Nagi's face as well. Did he just agree to date Nanjiro?

"Uh oh, the manager is giving us that 'we want to close now' look."

Nagi sighed. The first evening in weeks that he was actually enjoying himself and now he'd have to go back to his lonely apartment. "I guess we better go then…"

"Yeah. Come on, before she throws us out literally." He said with a grin to the manager, a middle-aged woman who obviously knew Nanjiro well.

"Yes, get out of here you rascal. Take your little friend home and stop cluttering up my café."

"Yeah yeah, we're going." The blue-haired man got up and grabbed their coats from the hook outside the booth. He opened Nagi's and held it out to him. Blushing a bit, the brunette let Nanjiro help him into his coat.

"I'm sorry we've kept you…" He tried to apologize to the woman while the other young man put on his own jacket.

"Nonsense, this isn't the first time Ishida-kun has lingered past closing."

"Come on, Nagi."

Outside on the sidewalk, he looked up and down the still bustling street. "I'm not sure where we are? Is there a subway near here that I can use to get home?"

"Do you want to go home?"

Did he really? No… but then again he wasn't sure where else to go.

Have you been in my shoes / I search your eyes for signs

"My place isn't far from here, come on over. You know, just hang out."

His eyes sought out Nanjiro's; looking for any sign that young man was toying with him. After so many years of training and observation, he was nearly as good as a telepath at reading people. He might not know how to respond, but he could usually tell what they were thinking.

"You can always call a taxi if you don't want to stay."

His whole life, he'd always been told what to do, where to go, or led to making certain decisions. Rarely had he taken a chance, preferring to take what would be the easier route, the more survivable action. He didn't have the safety net that had been there for him before.

"Okay."

Will you remain, remember my name / After it's closing time

Nanjiro smiled. "This way." They walked together, the blue-haired man chatting away. Nagi found himself intrigued by this young man. He was enjoying himself. He was actually enjoying himself.

"This is the building I live in."

Nagi boggled at the place. "You live HERE?" This had to be one of the higher rent places in the area. How could Nanjiro afford it? They weren't paid badly but certainly not well enough to afford this!

"Yeah, mother insisted." He walked into what looked more like a high-class hotel lobby than the ground floor of an apartment complex. A security guard nodded to them from behind a polished desk. Nanjiro paused to check his mailbox, and then led to way to the elevator.

"I hope you're not afraid of heights." He asked as they rode upwards.

"No."

"Oh good. I have a friend who is absolutely petrified of anything over about 5 stories. She can never come visit me."

"What floor do you live on?" Nagi checked the floor numbers, there were 16.

"Top floor, and I have access to part of the roof."

"Wow."

"It's not much, but I call it home." He said with a grin as the bell dinged and the doors slid open. There was another foyer area with four doors. "I'm in 4." He pulled out a swipe card, running it through the electronic lock then punching in a code. The lock buzzed and he opened the door. "Come in, come in."

Nagi carefully removed his shoes, placing them on the mat beside the door. Nanjiro set out a pair of guest slippers. "Let me take your coat."

I could sure use your company now / But don't be mistaking my smile

He wasn't sure how long they stayed up, just chatting. At least long enough to drink a couple cups of tea. By the time sleep was creeping up on him, it was far too late to find a train or bus still running. Nanjiro insisted he stay for the night, getting out a spare futon and setting it up in the living room for him. His host even had a spare set of clothes for him to sleep in and a new toothbrush he could use.

Nanjiro got an extra blanket, insisting that it was chilly sleeping on the floor and that he needed it. Nagi lay there, comfortably cocooned, fed and mind drifting. He could hear the other man completing his nightly rituals. He had forgotten how good it felt to be around someone else. The little sounds another person made were comforting. For the first time in a couple months, he felt like he could really sleep.

I'm only in between dances / Sitting it out for a while

-Owari-

See… I can be nice to Nagi eventually. Poor Nagi, he just doesn't deal with flirting well. But aren't they cute? Nanjiro belongs to Kiki, who graciously let me borrow him. We usually use him for our YnM fics as a gatekeeper shinigami, hence the mismatched eyes. I've retained him in human form here, eyes and all.